The Miami Heat made it all the way to the NBA Finals last year against the eventual champion Denver Nuggets. This year they will be hard-pressed to get past the play-in round.

The Heat host the Chicago Bulls for the right to face the league-leading Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. Miami lost its first play-in game to the Philadelphia 76ers as the Heat could not hold on to the lead when Joel Embiid and the Sixers rallied. Much of the reason for the defeat was a knee injury suffered in that game by superstar Jimmy Butler.

The dynamic scorer took a hard fall early in the game and was not able to compete when the game was on the line. It was later determined that he had a sprained MCL and Butler will be out of action for a period of weeks. So, even if the Heat find a way to overcome the Bulls — victorious in their first play-in game against the Atlanta Hawks — they won't have “Playoff Jimmy” available for the series against the Celtics.

Butler went down and was slow to get up after being fouled on a play at the end of the first quarter of their game against Philadelphia. He was in quite a big of pain while taking a hit  as he went in for a layup against Kelly Oubre Jr.

Heat determined to bring home a victory

While it looks grim for the Heat, there is a determination in the locker room, and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. voiced the team's desire to survive the play-in game and advance to the series against Boston.

There is tremendous love and respect for Butler in the Heat locker room, and that his the key to the team's motivation. “This is something we want to do for him. We’re going to make sure we do everything we can to win this game,” Jaquez said.

The Heat know that playing without Butler is a major problem that will be a challenge to overcome. He was their best player in the postseason last year as he averaged 26.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists  throughout the playoffs.

Butler is known for turning up the intensity during the playoffs every year. While the Heat were defeated in five games by the Nuggets in the championship round, the team upset the Celtics in seven games to get to that final series.

Miami won the first three game of that series, lost the next three and then won Game 7 on the road. Butler was the architect of that victory.

Heat have to find offense

Head coach Eric Spoelstra knows the Heat are going to have to find increased offensive production without Butler. He tied Tyler Herro for the team's scoring lead with 20.8 points per game, and Butler also handed out 5 assists per game.

Bam Adebayo averaged 19.3 points per game this season, and he is going to have to pick it up, as will Duncan Robinson.

“We will do this the hard way,” Spoelstra said. “That just has to be the path you know right now. Rest up. … We’re going to bring a hell of a game (in front of the) Friday night lights and do this the hard way.”