Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler Expected Back In Lineup Tonight Vs New Orleans Pelicans
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler is not on the injury report for tonight's game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
He missed the past three games after the death of a family member. Butler is expected back in the starting lineup.
Here's the game preview:
Game time: 8 pm., ET
Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans
TV: Bally Sports Sun
Betting line: Heat +3
VITALS: The Heat and Pelicans meet for the first of two matchups this regular season. Last season, Miami swept the series 2-0 and has swept the last three-straight season series. Miami has also currently won a franchise-record six consecutive games against New Orleans. The Heat are 25-20 all-time versus New Orleans during the regular season, including 17-6 in home games and 8-14 in road games.
PROJECTED STARTERS
HEAT
G Duncan Robinson
G Tyler Herro
C Bam Adebayo
F Caleb Martin
F Jimmy Butler
PELICANS
F Zion Williamson
F Brandon Ingram
C Jonas Valanciunas
G CJ McCollum
G Herb Jones
INJUY REPORT
HEAT
Dru Smith: Out - Right Knee Surgery
Tyler Herro: Questionable - Foot
Terry Rozier: Out - Knee
Josh Richardson: Out - Shoulder
PELICANS
Brandon Ingram: Questionable - Illness
QUOTABLE
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra on Nikola Jovic's big game against the Milwaukee Bucks: “Niko was very good tonight. Obviously the points, that'll make everybody notice, but he generates more inertia for our team in transition, for sure. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that."
Shandel Richardson covers the Miami Heat for Inside The Heat, a Fan Nation channel for Sports Illustrated. He has covered the NBA since 2010.
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