The Miami Heat have been middling for the entirety of the 2022-23 NBA season. Looked at as potential title contenders, with Jimmy Butler even claiming that that is the goal for the team, the Heat stand at a mediocre 19-18 record while holding the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference.
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In all fairness to them, they have been hit with a slew of injuries to players who contribute significantly to their success. Guys like Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent are day-to-day with their respective quad and knee injuries.
Though, their biggest loss of the season so far has been none other than their on and off court leader, Jimmy Butler. He suffered a right knee injury in mid-November and has been in and out of games ever since.
Will Jimmy Butler suit up for the Heat’s game against the Clippers tonight?
Along with his experiencing right knee soreness for a major part of the Heat’s games in November and December, he also sprained his ankle in a late December game against the Indiana Pacers. He would suffer this sprain in the 1st quarter and be taken out in the 4th when the pain became unbearable.
He missed Saturday’s game against the Utah Jazz and going into tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers, he looks to be listed as ‘probable’. Like his teammates Vincent and Martin, his status is ‘day-to-day’. So, it seems as though it’s all up to how Butler feels prior to tip-off.
The way that the Miami Heat have been playing has been subpar with flashes of what a title contender could be. When Tyler Herro, Butler, and Bam Adebayo have played together on the court, they have posted up a +/- of 5.4, which is quite good given the significant sample size.
As long as those 3 are healthy along with Kyle Lowry, who hasn’t looked like himself this season, the Heat have a fighting chance against anybody in the NBA, especially with their zone defense kicking on all cylinders.
Also read: Jimmy Butler Proclaims Kevin Durant the Hardest Player to Defend, LeBron James Comes Close Second
