As the Miami Heat get set for their second game of this week's home stand against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the status of star Jimmy Butler has been monitored since December of last year. He suffered a calf injury on Dec. 18 against the Minnesota Timberwolves and would miss the next four games.
Butler would come back on Dec. 30 against the Utah Jazz and sustain another injury to his foot that was later revealed to be more in the toe area, specifically labeled as a “sprained right 1st MP joint.” He would then miss every contest after meaning in total, the Heat star has missed the last eight of nine games.
The question is this: Is Jimmy Butler playing Wednesday vs. the Thunder?
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Jimmy Butler injury status vs. Thunder
The Heat told ClutchPoints at Tuesday afternoon's practice that Jimmy Butler will not play Wednesday night against the Thunder. Meaning, he will now miss the last nine of 10 games including tomorrow.
However, Butler would speak candidly to the media about his injury, how he's progressing, and recounts the moment he sufferd the issue to his foot. First, he would say that it is “progressing well,” but that it will be a “couple more days” until they see where his pain tolerance level is at.
“It's progressing well. I just stepped wrong and I think the toe is a part of the foot, so it's like the toe, but it's the mid foot area,” Butler said. “But it's getting better. Moving a little bit better. Still got a couple more days honestly till we can get tolerable pain in there and then I'll be ready to go.”
Heat's Butler thought the injury against Utah was “way worse”
Butler would say that his confidence level is high that he will be back with the team shortly, expressing his movement trending in a positive direction and that he can break a sweat. However, when harking back to the game against Utah where he got the toe injury, he thought it was way worse than the diagnosis.
“I actually thought it was way worse than it really was,” Butler said. “I was scared for a much larger reason because of the bone, whatever you want to call it. I'm just so glad it wasn't what myself and some other people thought it was.”
The next couple of days for recovery will be testing Butler's movements further as he'll go up and down to see how his body reacts to physical vitriol. Butler mentioned how the pain was severe when he was limping off the floor on Dec. 30, but fast forward to the present time and he said when he ties his shoe, there isn't too much pain as there was before.
Butler doesn't care about missing out on individual awards
Wednesday will mark Butler's 13th missed game of the season and with the new NBA rule of a 65-game minimum, the 33-year old is cutting it close as he won't be eligible for individual awards. However, in the most Butler response possible, he told ClutchPoints that he doesn't care about those achievements, only about winning a championship that he promised to his team.
“What you think? You think I'm worried about some award? The only award that I give a damn about is those banners over there,” Butler said as he pointed to the title banners in the practice gym. “I told Spo [Erik Spoelstra], l told Pat [Riley], I told my guys that I'm gonna help us get it, I don't need so end of season reward.”
With Butler out, the Heat's injury problems continue as it has plagued them since the beginning of the season. However, Miami's depth has been stellar in keeping the team in games and ultimately winning a ton as proven by Monday's win over the Houston Rockets. Butler is not surprised at all to see the team's depth succeeding in that way.
“I've always seen it so this is nothing new to me. It may be new to individuals that aren't in here every day,” Butler said. “I'm seeing these guys work on their game, gaining confidence. So I'm not surprised. My thought and take on winning the championship still stands. I'm always taking our chances with these guys.”
The Heat are 21-15 on the season which puts them fifth in the Eastern Conference. They will have three more games in the home stand, but their next 12 of 17 will also be inside the Kaseya Center starting Wednesday against Oklahoma City.
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