Is Jimmy Butler playing tonight against Indiana Pacers? Latest injury update for 6x All-Star (Nov. 30)
Jimmy Butler is likely to miss his third straight game for the Miami Heat. The forward's ankle injury saw him sidelined against the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Heat lost both games and are now placed seventh in the East with a 10-8 record. Butler last played against the New York Knicks, and despite propping up 23 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists, the side lost 100-98 to NY.
Ahead of the team's clash against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday (Nov.30), Jimmy Butler is still listed as questionable, and chances are that he might not suit up in the game.
He joins Haywood Highsmith and Tyler Herro on the injury list. According to ESPN, Butler is day-to-day. Unless there is an upgrade on the IRL, Butler will be a notable absentee against the Pacers. He has missed four of the team's 18 games this season.
As for other prominent names, both Bam Adebayo (hip) and Duncan Robinson (thumb) are listed as probable ahead of the matchup. Herro is still a week away from a potential return.
The Miami Heat need Jimmy Butler on the floor soon
Before going down with his ankle injury, Jimmy Butler, 34, had been averaging 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 14 games this season. And with the Heat built around Butler and Bam Adebayo, the team has struggled in their absence.
Last season, Jimmy Butler turned on the jets when he switched to his "playoff Jimmy" mode, averaging 26.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 22 games in the 2023 playoffs.
This saw Miami go from eighth seed in the regular run to runners-up in the NBA Final. After clinching the Eastern Conference, Butler and the Heat were beaten 4-1 by the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals.
While it's still early in the season, the Heat will look to avoid the slump they went through this past edition, which saw them in a scramble to make the postseason. While it's fair to say injuries to Tyler Herro and the rest of the roster have played their part in the team's losses, much depends on Butler and his impact on the floor.
The Heat have a competitive slate of games coming up in their two-game series against the Pacers. They will follow it up with matchups against the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers, who are hot on Miami's heels.