The Miami Heat, trailing 2-1 to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, have the daunting task of overcoming a club that went 64-18 in the regular season in three of the next four games.
To make matters worse, they may have to do so without their star player. Jimmy Butler has yet to participate in the postseason after injuring his MCL in the Heat’s regular-season finale.
Butler is projected to be out for several weeks, so the Heat will most likely need to get to the semifinals before he is healthy enough to participate. Butler’s ambition may lead him to push for a return during this series. However, this may not be a realistic estimate for his timeline.
Jimmy Butler Provides Injury Update
Butler had previously declined to provide a date for his return to the floor, although recognizing his desire to play.
“I don’t know about a timeline, but we’ve been working,” Butler told TNT’s Chris Haynes (via CBS News Miami). “… “I want some of this.”
Butler averaged 20.8 points per game during the 2023-24 regular season and 21.3 points per game after joining the Heat. However, he improves his game in the playoffs, with the adrenaline rush of the chance to win a title propelling him to new heights. To that point, he has averaged 27.1 points per game in the last two postseasons.
Miami needs this Butler to defeat the Celtics, who have a formidable team headlined by five-time All-Star Jayson Tatum. With him and Jaylen Brown averaging 24 points per game, they have outscored the Heat’s skeleton crew offensively.
Bam Adebayo is performing particularly well, scoring 21.3 points per game while competing against Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis. Tyler Herro has struggled, scoring 16.3 points per game on 38.1 percent shooting from the field. Because Terry Rozier is still out with a neck injury, Herro is under a lot of pressure to step up. However, it may be a standout effort from Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Nikola Jovic that propels them over the top.
Jaquez (14.0 points per game) and Jovic (12.0 points per game) are versatile scorers who have put pressure on Boston’s defense. Leaning on Jaquez to score more inside may be less productive than finding Jovic beyond the arc. Nonetheless, given their alternatives, Jaquez and Jovic have as good an opportunity to make a difference as Herro.
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