NBA

Jimmy Butler ruled out of Game 2 and Heat missed him down stretch

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Published May 2, 2023
Updated May 3, 2023, 3:15 p.m. ET

Defenses couldn’t stop Playoff Jimmy; but injury did.

And the Knicks were sure the beneficiaries.

They didn’t have to worry about Jimmy Butler in a must-win Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinals Tuesday night at the Garden, the Miami star ruled out about an hour beforehand with a right ankle sprain.

And the Heat clearly missed him down the stretch of a tilt they seemed to have under control only to lose 111-105.

For the Heat, while Game 3 at home can’t come fast enough to get the taste of this defeat out of their mouths, they will also take full advantage of the chance to give their injured star three full days of rest.

“Yeah. His body will let you know [how it responds], me know, him know, the team know,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It’s no way to predict it. But I’m glad we have a couple extra guys.”

Butler suffered the injury with 5:05 left in Miami’s Game 1 win at the Garden while getting fouled by Josh Hart.

But devoid of his shotmaking and endgame gene, Miami got outscored down the stretch 24-12 on Tuesday, turning a 93-87 edge with 6:43 left into a tough loss.

He stayed in Sunday’s Game 1 and gutted through despite being visibly hobbled.

The Heat have ruled Jimmy Butler out for Game 2 against the Knicks with an ankle injury, which he suffered Sunday in Game 1.
The Heat have ruled Jimmy Butler out for Game 2 against the Knicks with an ankle injury, which he suffered Sunday in Game 1. Getty Images

The Knicks shockingly didn’t attack him on defense in pick-and-rolls. But Tuesday night they didn’t have to face him at all.

After going through around-the-clock treatment Monday and being initially listed as questionable Tuesday, Butler was a late scratch before tipoff.

He didn’t undergo any imaging, and Spoelstra said the star wing isn’t scheduled to have any before Game 3.

Jimmy Butler of the Heat down on the floor after suffering an ankle injury against the Knicks on April 30, 2023.
Jimmy Butler of the Heat down on the floor after suffering an ankle injury against the Knicks on April 30, 2023. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post

“No. [And] no,” Spoelstra said. “You guys aren’t probably going to get a whole lot more out of me on that. Look, none of us know [how bad it is]. Come on, this is not rocket science. We probably just ran out of time [Tuesday].”

Butler, who has suffered several ankle sprains in his four years in Miami, is renowned for his toughness.

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Spoelstra admitted he’s not sure if he would’ve let any other player gut out the final stages of Game 1 under similar circumstances, but wouldn’t go into detail about their conversations for Game 2.

“How many different ways [can I say it]?” Spoelstra asked. “Look, at this point, yeah we’re having very reasonable conversations. I know where his heart is, I know what he wants to do.

“This was not just a decision between Jimmy and I. We’re probably the worst people that are going to rely on to make that kind of decision. So yeah, we have to pull in the medical staff and the training staff and we have to make a responsible decision. And that was the decision we made and we’re all on board with that.”