Jimmy Butler’s injury status could make or break this series in favor of the Miami Heat against the New York Knicks.
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler rolled his ankle in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks. His absence in Game 2 ended up being decisive, as the Knicks tied the series 1-1.
So Game 3 ends up being a huge swing. The team that takes Game 3 in a series is locked in a game that each tends to go on and win it all. Still, Butler’s availability is enormous, as he’s frequently been the favorite man on the Heat, with a 56-point performance and a 42-point game under his belt already this postseason.
Here’s the latest Butler news.
Is Jimmy Butler playing tonight?
Shams Al-Shaaraniyya reported, on Saturday afternoon, that Jimmy Butler was allowed to play. We expect to see him fit into Game Three, which he’s going home for the Heat, as well as Game Four. A great opportunity for two games for the Heat to go the distance between them and the Knicks.
With Butler back, the Knicks will need to play their first game to secure the win. Miami and New York both upset their first-round opponents, as the Heat knocked out the Milwaukee Bucks and the Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Both teams are brave and fickle. It’s no surprise that one of them is coached by Tom Thibodeau, and the other is Tom Thibodeau’s ultimate player in Jimmy Butler.
Although this will create some nervous sweats for Knicks fans, you have to love it. If the Knicks are going to take this series, you want it to be a great win against a full-strength Heat, not a struggling team.