The Miami Heat began their five-game Western Conference road trip on 28th December and have gone 2-2 since then. Before returning to Florida for their four-game homestand, Erik Spoelstra’s boys will travel to Arizona to take on the Phoenix Suns. Going up against the star-studded side, the Heat will need their entire roster to be healthy. Ahead of the highly-anticipated clash, fans are wondering whether or not Jimmy Butler will take on the floor.
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Jimmy Butler missed four straight games toward the end of the year. During the 18th December clash against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the two-way star suffered a left calf strain. He made his return for their final fixture of the calendar year but, sustained yet another foot injury in his first game back.
Since the 30th January clash against the Utah Jazz, Butler has not suited up for any of the Heat’s games. After having been sidelined for two consecutive games in Los Angeles, fans of the South Florida side will be disappointed to learn that their star player is set to miss yet another contest.
Joining Dru Smith and Haywood Highsmith, Jimmy Butler is listed OUT for tonight’s clash against the Phoenix Suns.
Coming up against a very good Suns side, this could spell trouble for the Heat. That said, not all hope is lost.
The Miami Heat are 5-1 in their last 6 games without Jimmy Butler
The Miami Heat are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Since the team does not rely heavily on Jimmy Butler, they can hold their ground even in his absence. In October and November, Butler missed a combined of 4 games and the team suffered losses on three of those occasions. However, their performance without their star forward has improved in the past few weeks.
In December and January, the 6ft 7” star missed six games. Apart from their sole loss against the star-studded Los Angeles Clippers, the Jimmy Butler-less Heat managed to defeat the Orlando Magic, the Atlanta Hawks, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Golden State Warriors, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
That said, despite the Heat’s solid form, they will certainly miss Butler’s presence. The reigning Eastern Conference Finals MVP is lodging 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. As per the latest results of the All-Star voting, it seems possible that Butler will make his seventh appearance for the prestigious exhibition game later in the season in Indiana.
With the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns missing out on Jimmy Butler and Kevin Durant, respectively, the fixture should promise to be an entertaining duel. One that goes down to the wire.
