Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is expected to be sidelined several weeks with a right MCL injury suffered in Wednesday’s play-in tournament loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Butler was hurt on the final play of the first quarter in Philadelphia. He remained in the game but scored a total of 12 points the rest of the way on 3-for-14 shooting as Miami surrendered a 12-point halftime lead in Philadelphia’s 105-104 victory.
The Heat will host the Chicago Bulls on Friday night, with the winner securing the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference and a first-round playoff series matchup against the Boston Celtics.
After leaking out for a potential fast-break layup in the first quarter, Butler tried to fake out Philadelphia’s Kelly Oubre Jr. to attempt to make a layup, only to have his knee buckle after it appeared Oubre landed on it, causing Butler to fall to the floor in pain.
Butler said after the game that he would have an MRI on Thursday, adding “I hope that I wake up tomorrow and can still stick-and-move. Right now, I can’t say that’s the case.”