The Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat shocked the world last week when they beat the Boston Celtics at TD Garden in Game 2 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff matchup. The Celtics had cruised to a 20-point win in Game 1 and were expected to have three more similar outings en route to the second round. But the gritty Heat threw a wrench in their plans. However, it has all been downhill from there for Miami as the Celtics have regained a domineering position in the series with two back-to-back wins in Games 3 and 4. Now Miami fans eagerly await the injury report for Game 5 as the Heat face an early elimination at TD Garden tonight.
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The Heat need inspiration to keep their campaign alive and a Jimmy Butler return in Game 5 could’ve been the cortisone shot for their ailing odds. Unfortunately, they’ll have to look elsewhere for hope. Per the NBA’s latest injury report, Butler hasn’t recovered from the MCL sprain in his right knee that he suffered in the Heat’s play-in tournament loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Butler has been ruled out of Game 5 as well at TD Garden in Boston. The Heat will have to find a way to beat the clinical Celtics without their superstar guard. That will be a difficult thing to do, considering that Boston has already tasted blood and would look to closeout the series at home. However, you can never discount Miami from a playoff contest, especially when they have already shown they can win without Butler.
Do the Heat stand a chance against the Celtics without Jimmy Butler?
During the regular season, the Miami Heat got a lot of practice playing without superstar guard Jimmy Butler, as he missed 22 regular season games. Losing a player of his caliber would be crippling for most franchises, but the Heat coped well, winning 13 and losing nine of the games that they played without Butler.
The practice came in handy in Game 2. However, they shot an exceptional 23-of-43 from beyond the arc, while Boston managed a dismal 12-of-32 on three-point attempts. Despite the 33-point disparity from beyond the arc, the Heat could muster only a 10-point win. This paints a worrying picture for Miami’s odds going into Game 5.
The Heat have the blueprint to beat the Celtics. However, executing it will be arduous as each player will have to play their roles to perfection. Head coach Erik Spoelstra will ensure his team believes that lightning can strike twice and they can beat Boston in their home arena and take the series back to Miami for Game 6. It’s a tall order, but the Heat are one of the few teams in the league capable of defeating such odds.
