Knicks vs. Heat: What’s Jimmy Butler ‘Body’ Saying About NBA Playoffs Injury?
The Miami Heat without Jimmy Butler? They’re not the Miami Heat. And will the wounded star be available to challenge the New York Knicks in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup back home at Madison Square Garden on Saturday?
“There’s no way to predict it,” said Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, sounding rather grim about Butler’s status due to his ankle problem.
Will Butler be out of action in Game 3? Keep in mind that another Miami Heat standout, Tyler Herro, is also out for the remainder of the playoffs due to injury. … and New York seems on the verge here of catching a major break.
Spoelstra’s full evaluation of the situation: “His body will let you know, me know, him know, the team know. There’s no way to predict it. But I’m glad we have a couple extra days.”
It is being speculated that Miami opting to sit Butler in Game 2 as an exercise in caution … with Miami having won Game 1 and now with the long break until Saturday.
But no matter the Miami master plan, the Knicks’ opportunity to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals - a widely-unpredicted outcome for the 2022-23 edition of this club, even with the wondrous addition of Jalen Brunson - is now very much within their control.
If Butler plays and is healthy, he might quickly regain the form thsy has made him the best player thus far in the 2023 NBA postseason. He’s averaging averaging 35.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting a crazy 59 percent from the floor.
Butler has also dominated in clutch time, so maybe the Knicks’ best bet in Game 3 - assuming Butler’s “body” gives him a thumbs-up - is to play so well from the start that “The Heat In Crunch Time” never becomes a factor at all.
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