As Injuries Pile, the Miami Heat Still Want to Remain Balanced

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler has harped on the importance of balanced scoring all season.

So don't anything to change as the Heat face the possibility of playing without guard Goran Dragic the remainder of the NBA Finals. Dragic, the team's second-leading scorer in the playoffs, sustained a foot injury in the first half of Wednesday's loss in Game 1. He is reportedly dealing with a left plantar tear.

While Butler knows he will have to shoulder more of the scoring load, he refuses to abandon what got the Heat here.

"Just take what the game gives me for the most part," Butler said. "I still have a lot of belief in all of my teammates. I will continue to play that way ... Maybe try to score a little bit more. I still got to make sure everybody else is getting their touches and getting their shots that they need. We've been playing this way all year long and that's our formula to success."

The Heat have chosen to focus on their poor play instead of the injuries. After grabbing an early 13-point lead, they trailed by many as 32 in the second half.

"We talk about how damn near perfect that we have to play and that was nowhere near," Butler said. "There's nothing to be said. We can watch all the film in the world. We understand we did not do. What we talked about we were gonna do, we didn't do."

As for Butler, who rolled an ankle in the opener, expected ready by Friday's Game 2.

"A little bit sore," Butler said. "I'll be OK, (get) some treatment and get ready to go again. I think I gotta be ready to go. We'll see how it feels (Thursday). I'm going to be fine."

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