Down 2-1 to the Boston Celtics in First Round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the Miami Heat face the unenviable task of defeating a team that went 64-18 in the regular season in three of the next four games.
To make matters worse, they may have to do it without their best player. After sustaining a MCL injury in the Heat’s regular season finale, Jimmy Butler has yet to play this postseason.
Butler is expected to be out for multiple weeks, meaning that the Heat more than likely have to advance to the semifinal round before he’s healthy enough to play. Due to Butler’s ambitious nature, he may push to return during this series. However, it may not a realistic projection for his timeline.
Jimmy Butler Provides Injury Update
To that point, while acknowledging his desire to get out on the court, Butler himself refused to give a timetable for his return.
“I don’t know about a timeline, but we’ve been working,” Butler told TNT’s Chris Haynes (h/t CBS News Miami). “… I want some of this.”
Butler averaged 20.8 points per game in the 2023-24 regular season and has averaged 21.3 points per game since joining the Heat. However, he raises his game in the playoffs, the adrenaline rush produced by an opportunity to win a championship pushing him to a new level. To that point, over his last two postseasons, he’s averaged 27.1 points per game.
It’s this version of Butler that Miami needs to take down the Celtics, who boast a mighty team led by five-time All-Star Jayson Tatum. With him and Jaylen Brown averaging 24 points per game, they’ve outpaced the Heat’s skeleton crew offensively.
Bam Adebayo is playing particularly well, averaging 21.3 points per game while facing contests from Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis. However, Tyler Herro has struggled, averaging 16.3 points per game on 38.1 percent shooting from the field. Because Terry Rozier remains out with a neck injury, there’s a lot of pressure on Herro to come alive. Yet, it may be a highlight performance from Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Nikola Jovic that gets them over the hump.
Versatile scorers, both Jaquez (14.0 points per game) and Jovic (12.0 points per game) have managed to put pressure on Boston’s defense. Leaning on Jaquez to score more inside may not be as effective as finding Jovic beyond the arc. Nonetheless, within their available options, both Jaquez and Jovic have as much of a chance to make a difference as Herro.
