Butler (ankle) OK’d to play in Game 3 vs. Knicks

Jimmy Butler is available to play Saturday afternoon in Game 3 of the Miami Heat’s series against the New York Knicks.

Butler missed Game 2 because of a right ankle sprain he sustained at the end of Game 1.

Without Butler, the Heat lost 111-105 allowing the Knicks to even the series at 1-1.

Butler injured his right ankle with 5:05 to go in the Heat’s series-opening victory when Josh Hart inadvertently kicked the ankle as Butler rose up for a shot. Butler remained in the game until 23.6 seconds remained and the Miami victory was secured.

The Heat were forced in Game 2 to use their fourth starting lineup in seven playoff games. The team is already dealing with injuries to Tyler Herro (right hand fracture) and Victor Oladipo (torn left patellar tendon).

Butler missed 18 games this season, and the Heat were 9-9 in those contests. The players with the highest scoring averages in the games Butler missed were Bam Adebayo (22.3) and then Herro (20.9) and Oladipo (14.8) according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

In six playoff games so far this season, Butler is averaging 35.5 points on 59% shooting, with 6.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. Butler had a career-high 56-point effort against Milwaukee in Game 4 of Round 1, followed by a 42-point outburst two nights later as the eighth-seeded Heat eliminated the top-seeded Bucks.

Butler entered Saturday as the No. 2 scorer in this season’s playoffs, behind only Phoenix’s Devin Booker — who is averaging 36.9 points and passed Butler for the top spot by scoring 47 in the Suns’ win over Denver on Friday night.

Information from ESPN’s Andrew Lopez and The Associated Press was used in this report.

Source: Read Full Article