Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler misses second half of Game 3 against Boston Celtics

Miami Heat lost their star forward Jimmy Butler in the second half of Game 3 against the Boston Celtics due to an inflamed knee, after playing 20 minutes in the first two quarters without any apparent trouble.

He contributed eight points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals before the team went into the half-hour break leading 62-47.

It was not known if a particular play caused the swelling, but Butler had already been bothered by a knee issue in the postseason. The 32-year-old missed one game in the first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks due to a knee problem.

It would spell bad news for Miami if he were to be out of commission for another game, as this season’s steals leader is their best player. He recorded an average of 21 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.6 steals in the regular season. He then improved on this performance in the playoffs with an average of 29.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 2.2 steals per game.

Butler was a major factor in the Heat’s Game 1 victory over Boston by tallying an incredible 41 points, nine rebounds, five assists, four steals, and three blocks.