The Miami Heat will be without Jimmy Butler on Tuesday night.
The Heat ruled Butler out of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the New York Knicks due to a sprained ankle.
“At this point, yeah, we’re in very reasonable talks,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game. “I know where his heart is, and I know what he wants to do, but this isn’t just a decision between Jimmy and me. We’re probably the worst people, you know, to count on to make that kind of decision… We have to make a responsible decision, and that was the one we made.” Everyone is ready for this.”
The Knicks confirmed that both Jalen Bronson and Julius Randle will play in Game 2. Bronson and Randall both had minor ankle injuries. Randle missed Game 1 of the series because of it.
Butler injured his right ankle in the final minutes of Miami’s seven-point victory over the Knicks in Game 1 on Sunday. Butler was driving to the edge against Knicks guard Josh Hart when his right ankle rolled hard. Butler fouled the play, but stayed on the court at Madison Square Garden for some time in pain before finally shooting his free throws.
While he didn’t leave the game, Butler was very limited in what he could do the rest of the way. He finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds, but did not score any more points after his free throws.
It is unclear how long Butler will be out of action. If he’s out for an extended period of time, the Heat could be in trouble. Butler averaged 38 points in Miami’s 4-1 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs. He dropped 56 points in Game 4 of that series, then hit a big bucket to force overtime in Game 5.
Game 3 of the series is set on Saturday in Miami, which gives Butler a few extra days to recover. Considering he didn’t have to leave the game early on Sunday after going down as a starter with an ankle injury, the nearly week-long break between games may be all he needs to bounce back.