Erik Spoelstra is not blaming Payton Pritchard alone for Jimmy Butler's injury in Game 3 between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, but he certainly didn't like the knee grab the guard did on their superstar.
To recall, Pritchard was called for a foul after grabbing Butler's right knee midway through the second quarter. Shockingly, the Heat leader was forced to sit out the second half of Saturday's contest due to an inflammation to that same knee the Celtics youngster hit.
Dirty play? pic.twitter.com/mOPN40tnUJ
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Erik Spoelstra admitted he's not sure if Payton Pritchard's foul contributed to Jimmy Butler's injury, but he did share that it was “not a basketball play” and shouldn't have been tolerated.
“We don’t know [if that contributed],” Spoelstra said, per Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “It could have had an effect. It was not a basketball play. We’re not really sure as to why it was determined as that was a basketball play, or that was a legal play or that was a safe play.”
The Heat head coach furthered that they are no longer making a big deal out of it, and they are also not asking for the league to review it since it is already too late. However, it is quite clear Coach Spo is hopeful the NBA will be more strict when it comes to investigating such kinds of fouls that threatens a player's health.
“We’re not going to say it’s bigger than it was, because we don’t know if that’s what triggered Jimmy’s injury,” Spoelstra added. “But, regardless, it should be two separate examples. And we don’t need it. We don’t care. The league doesn’t have to do anything. We’re not begging.”
Fortunately for the Heat, Butler is available to play in Game 4 on Monday, meaning they were able to prevent aggravating his injury with their decision to sit him out. Hopefully, the star forward will be able to hold on and finish the contest this time around.
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