Is Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler Still Reeling From His Ankle Injury?
Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler hasn’t been quite the same since his injury against the New York Knicks.
In the first six games of the playoffs, he averaged 35.5 points on 58.5 percent shooting from the field and 43 percent shooting from 3-points range. Since hurting his ankle, he is averaging 23.5 points on 42 percent shooting and 32 percent from downtown. “Playoff Jimmy” has looked more like his regular season self as the postseason progressed, which affects the Heat. They boasted a 5-1 record before his injury but have been 8-5 since.
Butler ended with 21 points in Game 2 against the Denver Nuggets, scoring eight in the fourth quarter. Still, it’s hard not to recall his consecutive 40-point performances in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Obviously, the competition gets tougher as the postseason advances. The decline in scoring could be a change of scheme, forcing Butler to facilitate more since teams are targeting him.
But even then, he doesn’t seem to be attacking the basket like before to draw fouls. His field goal attempts have dropped, meaning he’s taking less shots at a lower efficiency.
But like Butler said before, he still expects to perform as a superstar because that’s the standard. He repeated this after the Game 2 victory, promising to continue playmaking even with the injury.
“I’m gonna keep playing basketball as far as I can,” Butler said. “Making plays for others, score whenever I get the opportunity. Through all else, just find a way to win. I think we did that tonight as a group, and we'll continue to do that as a group.”
Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.
