As the Miami Heat prepare for the Phoenix Suns tonight, they will once again be without star Jimmy Butler. It will mark the seventh game he has missed since injuring his calf on Dec. 18 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Head coach Erik Spoelstra touches on what the plan will be for Butler as they finish their current five-game road trip.
While he came back from the calf strain injury on Dec. 30 against the Utah Jazz, he suffered another injury, this time to his foot. He would miss the next three games including the Heat's win over the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday night. The injury has been specified to be in the toe area, labeled as “right toe MP Joint irritation” according to the team's X (formerly known as Twitter) account.
At shoot-around Friday morning before the Suns game where the team practiced at the courts in Arizona State University, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra talked about the decision to send Butler back to Miami for treatment. Instead of sticking with the team on the final game of the road trip, the head coach thought it was best for the star to go back home and rest up according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel.
“The diagnosis is still the same,” Spoelstra said. “We felt it would be better for him to train in our facility and do things around the clock.”
Spoelstra says that Butler will be “day to day”
Friday night against Phoenix will be the eleventh game that Butler will miss and another contest where the big three of him, Tyler Herro, and Bam Adebayo will not play together. In terms of his playing status after the Suns game, Spoelstra revealed that Butler will be “day-to-day.”
“We’ll treat him day to day and we’ll see how he’s doing when we get back to Miami,” Spoelstra said.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. taking the “role” of Butler
The main benefactor to the absence of Butler has been Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr., who because of his impressive play in the month of December, won his second Rookie of the Month award from the NBA. Spoelstra touched on the feat from Jaquez, calling it “impressive” according to The Sun Sentinel.
“That’s definitely impressive,” Spoelstra said, “And the most important thing is his play has impacted winning. He’s earned his minutes because it’s impacted winning. It’s a good nod. It’s not something that we’re going to celebrate. But it’s nice to have a young player ready to help us win.”
In December, Jaquez averaged 16.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 84.9 percent from the foul line. The comparisons will always continue between Jaquez and Butler, but it is hard to not see it. Just like the games prior, he should have a big role Friday night against the Suns.
Haywood Highsmith has also returned to Miami as he is currently in concussion protocol after colliding with Jazz guard Colin Sexton on Dec. 30 where the Heat lost, 117-109. In other injury news, Caleb Martin is once again “doubtful” for a contest as he still deals with an ankle injury suffered on Christmas Day against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Miami looks to win two straight as they face Phoenix tonight at the Footprint Center at 9:00 p.m. Friday. The Heat are 20-12 on the season which puts them at fourth in the Eastern Conference.
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