NBA
Why isn’t Jimmy Butler playing for Miami today against the Celtics in Game 4?
Butler will once again be sidelined against Boston in the NBA Playoffs for the fourth game of the series at the Kaseya Center.
Miami Heat face Boston Celtics for the 41st time in Playoffs history with the side from ‘Beantown’ ahead 2-1 in the current series with Heat fans hoping that home advantage will play a role in boosting their team in tying the series before it returns to Massachusetts for the next two instalments.
Celtics Jayson Tatum was full of confidence after the Game 3 win on Saturday stating: “Everybody knows how talented we are,” Tatum said. “Can we be the tougher, harder-playing team?
“When you combine that with our talent level, I think it’s going to be hard to beat us. But can we start off every game essentially punching first and not reacting? That’s the test for us that we have to get up for every single game.”
The 26-year-old is averaging 24.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the series’ first three games to lead the Celtics with the No. 1 seeds in the Eastern Conference tipped to go all the way in the 2023-24 finals.
Joe Mazzulla’s team have no injury concerns ahead of Game 4.
Miami ravaged by injury
The Heat have had to face Boston without key player Jimmy Butler after the veteran suffered an MCL (medial collateral ligament) tear sustained in the Play-In matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers on 18 April.
Sixers shooting guard Kelly Oubre Jr. inadvertently landed on Butler and it looked ominous for the power-forward who limped to the locker room at the conclusion of the quarter. Surprisingly, he returned to the court to shoot 19 points, five assists and five steals but his knee issue appears set to rule Butler out of the entire first-round series against Boston, which will run through to Sunday 5 May if it goes to Game 7.
Speaking to TNT, Butler claimed he was keen to return but that no date had been set for a potential return: “I don’t know about a timeline, but we’ve been working,” Butler said during the televised interview. “I want to hoop. I want to get out here. I want some of this.”
Other Heat injury concerns reñate to Terry Rozier who is still sidelined with a neck problem and Josh Richardson listed as doubtful with a shoulder issue. The sliver of good news for Heat fans is the projected return of Delon Wright, who missed Game 3 because of personal reasons.
The action in Florida gets underway at 7:30 pm (ET).