Is Jimmy Butler playing tonight against Celtics? | Latest injury update on Heat's star ahead of matchup (May 21, 2023)
Jimmy Butler has been arguably the best playoff performer this season. He's averaging a career-high 31.1 points per game on 51.8% shooting and is also incredible on defense, leading the league in steals per game.
Butler's impressive performances have helped the eight-seeded Miami Heat reach the Eastern Conference Finals. They have a 2-0 lead over the Boston Celtics, and fortunately, they will also be able to count on Butler in the upcoming matchup.
The Heat star has been essential to the team's success, which is why it won't be a surprise if Miami goes up 3-0 on Sunday night. Butler has put on a fantastic show, and the Celtics haven't found an answer for him yet.
Jimmy Butler is not at his 100% yet, but he will play tonight against Boston
Jimmy Butler has been incredible so far in the playoffs, despite the ankle injury he's been dealing with. The six-time All-Star hurt his ankle in Game 1 against the New York Knicks and hasn't been at his 100% since.
Before the injury, Butler averaged 35.5 points per game on 58.5% shooting. Despite not being a great three-point shooter, the Miami Heat star was very efficient from long range, converting 42.9% of his shots.
Since hurting his ankle, the Heat swingman has averaged 26.7 points on 44.3% shooting. His three-point percentage has also gone down to 23.1%. However, he's found ways to impact the game in other ways, mostly with his defense.
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While Butler is not 100% healthy at the moment, he will suit up against the Boston Celtics in Game 3. The game will be played on Sunday night, and the Heat will have a chance to take a 3-0 lead in front of their crowd.
Butler has averaged 31.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game against the Celtics in the series. He's also been relatively efficient, converting 48.0% of his total shots, and 40.0% of shots from beyond the arc.
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The 6-foot-7 wing has missed only one game so far in the playoffs, which was Game 2 against the New York Knicks. The Heat lost this game and have been 10-2 with Jimmy Butler in the lineup this postseason.
It doesn't seem that Butler's ankle bothered him in the first two games of the series, which is why we can expect another great performance from him in Game 3.