Miami Heat Star Battling Injury After Loss Against Sixers

Former Philadelphia 76ers veteran Jimmy Butler is facing a potential absence against the Bulls on Friday.

Apr 17, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) reacts after a / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

As the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat battled it out for the Eastern Conference’s seventh seed in the NBA Play-In Tournament, Jimmy Butler went down with a suspected knee injury in the first half.

The former Sixer was down for a bit before getting helped up off the floor and attempting his free throws. While it was clear Butler was experiencing pain, he remained on the court to continue competing for a playoff spot.

In the end, Butler turned in a near-40-minute shift against the Sixers. During that time, he drained five of his 18 shots from the field and went 7-8 from the charity stripe.

Butler produced 19 points, four rebounds, five assists and five steals on the defensive end.

Despite giving it all he had on a bad knee, Butler’s contributions weren’t enough to help the Heat overcome the Sixers on the road.

The 76ers defeated the Heat 105-104. By locking up the seventh seed, the Sixers will go toe-to-toe with the New York Knicks this weekend. As for the Heat, they’ll get a day off to re-group before meeting with the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.

Will Butler get an opportunity to bounce back and play? Early signs say it’s doubtful.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Butler is “feared” to have an MCL injury that could sideline him for an “indefinite” period. The Heat star will have to undergo an MRI to confirm a diagnosis before Miami makes its decision on his recovery timeline.

The Heat have proven many times in the past that they have the ability to utilize the next-man-up mentality successfully, but Butler’s absence certainly wouldn’t be easy to overcome.

Miami will get a final opportunity to compete for the eighth seed in the East on Friday, hoping to pick up a seven-game series against the Boston Celtics. Meanwhile, the Sixers will begin preparing for their two matchups on the road against the Knicks, starting on Saturday.