Cavs vs Heat Injury Report: Is Jimmy Butler Playing Tonight? 6x All-Star’s Availability Ahead of Crucial Seeding Game

The Miami Heat are going to finish their 4-game road trip on Wednesday, clashing against Cleaveland at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The match begins at 7 PM ET, which will also be the third matchup between the two teams, in NBA’s 8-game slate. Injuries loom large over Miami, disrupting their momentum as they look for a dub against their Eastern Conference foe. Will Miami’s superstar Jimmy Butler be playing tomorrow?

Both teams are limping into this match-up with major players MIA. The Heat’s injury report remains a concern, with Tyler Herro (foot), Kevin Love (heel), and Duncan Robinson (back) all ruled out. Jimmy Butler (foot) and rookie Nikola Jovic (hamstring) are listed as “questionable”, leaving their availability for Wednesday night’s game uncertain. The Heat faithful will be holding their breath, hoping their stars can suit up. The Cavaliers, on the other hand, will continue to miss Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.

The Heat are coming off a disappointing 98-91 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night. Despite a solid effort from Bam Adebayo, who finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists, and Terry Rozier’s scoring outburst of 20 points, Miami fell short. This defeat dropped the Heat to the no. 8 seed in the Eastern with just 14 games remaining in the regular season. Every dub counts in the playoff race, so the pressure is seemingly on.

Can the Heat survive without Butler?

Jimmy Butler’s absence against the 76ers highlighted the toll injuries have taken on the Heat this season. Butler, who’s been battling a right foot issue all year, has already missed 8 games. This latest setback adds to a season-long struggle with various ailments, including ankle, foot, and calf injuries. Butler even missed additional games due to personal matters. In total, he has been sidelined for 16 games. Despite these challenges, the Heat have managed a commendable 13-7 record in his absence.

Throughout his career, Jimmy Butler has averaged a respectable 17.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game against the Cavaliers. In their last five meetings, Butler’s offensive production has climbed to a staggering 22.0 points per game, along with 4.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds on average.

When they met in Cleveland on November 22nd, 2023, the Heat dominated with a phenomenal 129-96 victory. That win extended Miami’s lead in the all-time regular-season series against the Cavaliers to a staggering 77-50 record.

The Heat might be missing Butler (and some others) this time around, but can they overcome his absence or will Butler make an appearance to avenge the Heat’s 99-111 loss to the Cavs in December? Stay tuned to find out!

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