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Offseason | NBA Week 26

Heat G Jimmy Butler set for MRI on ailing knee

Thu Apr 18 1:48am ET
Field Level Media

Miami guard Jimmy Butler hurt his right knee on Wednesday in the Heat's defeat against the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving his availability for the Friday play-in finale against the Chicago Bulls in doubt.

ESPN and The Athletic reported that Butler might have injured his medial collateral ligament.

Butler acknowledged after Miami's 105-104 loss that he was headed for an MRI exam. He was injured when Philadelphia's Kelly Oubre Jr. fell on him with 1.5 seconds to play in the first quarter.

"I fell, he landed and my knee just didn't do well, I guess," Butler said. "I don't know. It's not a good feeling, I can tell you that."


Butler got up from the collision and made 1 of 2 foul shots, giving him seven points on 2-of-4 shooting in the opening period. He stayed in the game but finished 5-for-18 from the floor, scoring 19 points in 40 minutes.

"It felt like I couldn't do too much, which sucks with the timing of the game and everything," Butler said. "I hope that I'm fine. I hope that I wake up (Thursday) and can still stick and move. Right now, I can't say that's the case."

After the loss at Philadelphia, the Heat head home to oppose the Bulls -- one of Butler's former teams. The winner of the latter contest will earn the Eastern Conference's No. 8 seed and a date with the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.

Butler, 34, averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists over 60 games in the just-concluded regular season. The six-time All-Star has career averages of 18.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists with the Bulls (2011-12 to 2016-17), the Minnesota Timberwolves (2017-18 to 2018-19), the 76ers (2018-19) and the Heat (2019-20 to present).

Player Notes
Khris Middleton Wed May 1 9:10am

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton notched 29 points as the team fought off elimination in Game 5 against Indiana with a 115-92 victory on Tuesday. He was a superb 4-for-7 from behind the arc and shot 9-for-20 overall while adding a game-high 12 rebounds to his tally. Middleton posted his third consecutive double-double in the series and also helped out on offense with five assists. The Bucks would be dead and buried without his fantastic play in the 2024 playoffs. With Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Damian Lillard (Achilles) battling injuries, Middleton had notched 26.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists against the Pacers.

Donovan Mitchell Wed May 1 9:10am

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell led his team with 28 points in Tuesday's Game 5 win over the Magic. The multi-time All-Star finally lived up to his reputation points-wise in the series, but he shot a poor 9-for-23 from the field, including 1-for-7 from outside. Mitchell also committed four of the team's 10 turnovers while picking up six rebounds, two assists, and two steals. The Cavaliers star has been off his game in the 2024 playoffs thus far, shooting below 23 percent from deep and averaging only 22.4 points. His other numbers have dropped as well compared to the regular season.

Evan Mobley Wed May 1 9:00am

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley was the hero of the night in Tuesday's 104-103 Game 5 win over Orlando. With mere seconds left in regulation, Mobley blocked Franz Wagner's layup to complete a good all-around performance. The USC product posted a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double and had four assists, two steals, and two blocks with 7-for-11 shooting. The Cavaliers needed every bit of Mobley's contributions after seeing Jarrett Allen (ribs) ruled out for the contest. He's set to have a huge role again in Game 6 on Friday if Allen can't return. Marcus Morris Sr. helped out on the frontcourt with 12 points and three rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench.

Paolo Banchero Wed May 1 8:50am

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero led the way with 39 points in Tuesday's 104-103 Game 5 loss to Cleveland. He shot 14-for-24 from the field and 4-for-7 from downtown en route to becoming the third-youngest player ever with 39-plus points in a playoff game, behind only LeBron James and Magic Johnson. Banchero's night included eight rebounds and four assists with five turnovers. The Magic star now boasts two 30-point efforts in the series and is averaging 24.8 points overall, along with 7.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists. Orlando will need similar numbers from him in Friday's Game 6 to survive for another day.

Gary Harris Wed May 1 8:50am

Orlando Magic guard/forward Gary Harris suffered a hamstring strain in Tuesday's Game 5 against Cleveland. After averaging 28 minutes in the first four games of the series, the veteran was limited to a 19-minute outing. Harris came up with a pair of blocks in the contest but didn't contribute anything else on the box score, shooting 0-for-3. Jalen Suggs went close to 40 minutes on the night with Harris out of the lineup for the fourth quarter. Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony could be looked at for bigger contributions in Friday's Game 6 if Harris is unavailable.

Jalen Brunson Tue Apr 30 10:30pm

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson had a team-high 40 points in Tuesday's overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. He added six assists, three rebounds, and three steals. While Tyrese Maxey had a game-high 46 points, Brunson had another stellar performance. Unfortunately, it wasn't good enough, with the series heading back to Philly for Game 6. Brunson has scored at least 39 points in each of his last three games, and he has an excellent chance to remain as dominant on Thursday night.

Joel Embiid Tue Apr 30 10:20pm

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid had a triple-double in Tuesday's overtime win over the Knicks. Embiid's performance wasn't pretty, with the 30-year-old scoring only 19 points, by far his fewest of the series. While DFS managers appreciated his 16 rebounds, 10 assists, and four blocks, he still had nine turnovers. As usual, Embiid was favoring his knee during the contest. Although he'll likely appear on the injury report ahead of Game 6 on Thursday night, he should be on the floor. Embiid has played better at home during the series, including a 50-point showing in Game 3, meaning he has a good chance to turn things around.

Tyrese Maxey Tue Apr 30 10:10pm

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey scored a game-high 46 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, to lead his team to an overtime win over the Knicks. He added nine assists and five rebounds. On a night when Joel Embiid struggled, Maxey put the Sixers on his back to keep the series alive. The 23-year-old easily had one of the best games of his career, so he'll try to keep it going in Game 6 on Thursday night. With that in mind, Maxey has played much better on the road during this series, so he could have trouble replicating his Game 5 performance.

Jarrett Allen Tue Apr 30 9:30pm

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (ribs) couldn't shake off a questionable tag for Tuesday's Game 5 battle against Orlando. He suffered a right rib contusion in Game 4. There were hopes of him being available on Tuesday, but Allen was ruled out after going through a warmup. Isaac Okoro started the game in his place. Evan Mobley has a huge role to play without Allen on the Cavaliers frontcourt, with Marcus Morris Sr. and Tristan Thompson working as his backups. Allen's first chance to return comes in Friday's Game 6.

Tyrese Haliburton Tue Apr 30 9:20pm

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton (back) will be good to go for Tuesday's Game 5 against Milwaukee. He's been dealing with lower back spasms, and the team initially had him as questionable for the game, but Haliburton has been upgraded to available. The two-time All-Star will look to register his third double-double of the series on Tuesday. He's averaging 15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 10.0 assists in the playoffs.

Patrick Beverley Tue Apr 30 9:10pm

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) and guard Patrick Beverley (oblique) will play on Tuesday against Indiana. The team has upgraded both players from probable to available. With Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Damian Lillard (Achilles) on the shelf, the Bucks offense will lean heavily on Middleton, while Beverley will mostly fill defensive duties. The rest of Milwaukee's starting five also needs to step up for the team to avoid a fourth consecutive loss and elimination on Tuesday.

Damian Lillard Tue Apr 30 9:10pm

Milwaukee Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Damian Lillard (Achilles) have both been ruled out for Tuesday's Game 5 against Indiana. They were considered doubtful for the clash and unfortunately for Milwaukee, the team won't have either available on Tuesday. Bobby Portis and Malik Beasley will likely remain among the starters. The first unit should get massive minutes in the contest as the Bucks face elimination.

Luka Doncic Tue Apr 30 7:10pm

Dallas Mavericks guardLuka Doncic(knee) is listed as probable going into Wednesday's Game 5 matchup with the Clippers. Doncic has a sprained right knee after tweaking it in Game 4 on Sunday. However, the 25-year-old will likely suit up in a crucial Game 5 in LA. He has averaged 29.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 8.5 assists while shooting only 38.6 percent from the field across the series' first four games.

Jalen Brunson Tue Apr 30 7:00pm

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson (knee) has been upgraded from probable to available for Tuesday's Game 5 against Philadelphia. He's ready to finish off the 76ers after being on the injury report with a right knee contusion. The Knicks star has posted 86 points and 23 assists across the last two games in the series, and he should be ready for another big performance in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd on Tuesday.

Kelly Oubre Jr. Tue Apr 30 7:00pm

Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (illness) will play in Game 5 against the Knicks on Tuesday. He skipped the morning shootaround due to an illness, which raised some questions regarding his availability for the contest, but the team has officially listed him as available. Oubre Jr. has shot a fantastic 46.2 percent from deep in the playoffs, but his scoring average has dropped to 12.0 points. Across 35.5 minutes of action, he's also notched 3.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 2.0 steals.

Mitchell Robinson Tue Apr 30 6:50pm

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) will return to the lineup for Tuesday's Game 5 against Philadelphia. The big man missed the previous game after hurting his surgically repaired left ankle. Robinson will continue to come off the bench behind Isaiah Hartenstein. He's averaged 20.0 minutes in the postseason, recording 3.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Hartenstein is the better option for DFS managers among the Knicks bigs. He's posted 10.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in the 2024 playoffs.

Joel Embiid Tue Apr 30 6:50pm

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee, migraine) has officially cleared for action ahead of Tuesday's Game 5 against the Knicks. After being listed as questionable for the contest due to knee injury recovery, Embiid also missed the morning shootaround with a migraine. However, he's set to play as Philadelphia tries to fight off elimination on Tuesday. Embiid has racked up 35.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in the series, but he has a pretty bad history in elimination games. It will be interesting to see how well he copes with the situation at Madison Square Garden.

Kristaps Porzingis Tue Apr 30 6:40pm

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Boston Celtics centerKristaps Porzingis(calf) is expected to miss several games due to a right soleus strain. With likely an extended absence for Porzingis, 37-year-old veteran center Al Horford should move into the Celtics starting lineup. Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman will also see more minutes coming off the bench in Game 5 against the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

Kawhi Leonard Tue Apr 30 6:20pm

Los Angeles Clippers forwardKawhi Leonard (knee) won't play in Game 5 against the Mavs on Wednesday, according to NBA writer Marc Stein. Leonard has been dealing with inflammation in his right knee for a while. In Game 2, he was on the court for 35 minutes. However, he logged only 25 minutes in Game 3. There is no timetable on when the 32-year-old will return, meaning James HardenandPaul Georgewill need to step it up for the Clippers in Game 5.

Terry Rozier Tue Apr 30 6:00pm

Miami Heat point guardTerry Rozier(neck) will remain absent for Game 5 against Boston on Wednesday. The former Celtic is struggling to overcome neck spasms and has already missed 10 consecutive contests. With Rozier's extended absense Tyler Herro will continue to lead the Heat's backcourt in Game 5 after posting 19 points, four rebounds and four assists in 44 minutes during Game 4 on Monday.