Jimmy Butler has been officially ruled out with an MCL sprain for the Miami Heat‘s Play-In Tournament clash against the Chicago Bulls, the team announced Thursday.
Butler sustained the injury in the 7-8 play-in game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday after landing awkwardly on his leg in the first quarter. He stayed in the game and played 39 minutes, finishing with 19 points, four rebounds and five assists in the loss.
“I fell, he landed and my knee just didn’t do well, I guess,” Butler said after the game. “I don’t know. It’s not a good feeling, I can tell you that.”
The 34-year-old underwent an MRI on Thursday that revealed the right MCL sprain. The Athletic‘s Shams Charania reported earlier in the day that Butler could be out multiple weeks.
In the same injury report, the Heat also announced that guard Terry Rozier, who missed the game against Philadelphia, has also been ruled out with a neck injury. Rozier has missed the team’s last five games due to neck spasms.
Miami’s play-in game against the Bulls is an elimination game, with the winner securing the eighth-seed in the playoffs and a first-round series against the Boston Celtics.
You can watch the Heat and Bulls go head-to-head on Sportsnet One or Sportsnet+ at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on Friday.