Butler injury ruins Heat playoff plans

MIAMI (AFP) — Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is set to miss the crunch National Basketball Association play-in game against the Chicago Bulls on Friday amid reports he has suffered knee ligament damage.

Butler was hurt in a collision under the basket with Kelly Oubre Jr., who fell on his right leg late in the first quarter of Wednesday’s 105-104 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Butler stayed in the game and finished with 19 points and five steals but was limping noticeably by the end.

No official word has been given on Butler’s status but media reports said he had suffered a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury and faced several weeks out of action, which would be a massive blow to Miami should they advance to the playoffs.

The Athletic cited “league sources” as saying Butler faced “multiple weeks” out after what they said was “feared” to be an MCL injury.

ESPN said their sources had indicated that Butler would be out for “several weeks” with the MCL.

Butler said after the game that he would be undergoing an MRI scan on Thursday.

Aside from Butler, also out for Miami will be Terry Rozier, who is nursing a neck injury, while the Bulls will be without Alex Caruso, who went down with a sprained ankle in their game against Atlanta.

“We will do this the hard way,” said Spoelstra, hoping that Duncan Robinson will be able to play after missing 10 of their last 15 games due to back injury.