Pacers News: Latest on Jimmy Butler Injury Ahead of Indiana Rematch

The Heat superstar has missed the last three games with an ankle sprain.

Apr 7, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Six-time All-NBA Miami Heat swingman Jimmy Butler has missed his club's last three games, including a 124-111 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday, with an ankle sprain.

He has seen his status upgraded to questionable ahead of a rematch against the Pacers tomorrow, reports Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson adds that the team expects Butler will return to action after all.

The 35-year-old has gotten off to a slow-for-him start, averaging 16.1 points on .478/.154/.732 shooting splits, 4.9 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists across his eight healthy games. That's a pretty big decline from his 22.9 points on .539/.350/.850 shooting splits, 5.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.8 steals he logged during his last All-NBA season, 2022-23. He was named an All-NBA Second Teamer, finished 10th in MVP voting, 12th in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and second in Clutch Player of the Year voting. That season, he led the Heat to their second NBA Finals appearance in four seasons, and its third Eastern Conference Finals run in that same window.

In fairness, he only played for less than seven minutes in his last game, a 135-122 defeat to the Denver Nuggets, before getting hurt. Subtracting that partial game from his season tally, Butler is averaging a better 18.1 points on .477/.167/.732 shooting splits, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.7 steals a night.

Even without Butler, the Heat made easy work of the Pacers on Friday night. And the game wasn't as close as that final score would appear, as all of Rick Carlisle's starters were benched for the second half of the fourth quarter, with the game already well out of hand. Reserve power forward Obi Toppin was Indiana's high scorer with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field (3-of-5 from deep) and 2-of-2 shooting from the charity stripe, plus three rebounds. Only two Pacers starters, All-Stars Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton, scored in double figures.

All-Star Miami center Bam Adebayo, still feeling the glow from the 2024 Olympics gold medal he won with Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton this summer, led all scorers with 30 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field (including a surprising 2-of-3 shooting from the 3-point line), while also pulling down a Heat-most 11 rebounds, seven assists and five steals in 38:46.

Heat shooting guard Tyler Herro chipped in 20 points of his own, albeit on a shakier 6-of-16 shooting line from the floor (2-of-9 from deep) and 6-of-6 shooting from the charity stripe. All five Heat starters on Friday — Adebayo, Herro, forwards Haywood Highsmith and Kevin Love, and point guard Terry Rozier — scored in double figures, as did sixth man forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. and reserve power forward Nikola Jovic.

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