Will Jimmy Butler Play Tonight? Miami Heat vs Detroit Pistons – Injury Updates, Lineups, and Prediction

The depleted Miami Heat are back in action tonight. They host the Detroit Pistons at American Airlines Arena at 8 pm EST, as they aim to break their losing streak. This is the first of their back-to-back encounters against the Pistons.

The Heat have won just once in their last four games. To add to their woes, most of their players have been ruled out due to injuries and COVID-19 protocol. They have had just eight players available for their last two games. Duncan Robinson is the only one out of their five starters who have featured in these games.

The Pistons are also in miserable form, but their reasons are different. They have won just two out of their 11 games so far and are currently the worst team in the league. They had two surprise wins, but aside from that, they have been very poor so far.

Miami Heat expected lineup

The Heat have eight players listed as questionable for tonight’s game. That list includes Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Goran Dragic. Unfortunately, Jimmy Butler (COVID-19 protocol) is confirmed to miss the game once again.

The team will continue to feature Gabe Vincent and Tyler Herro as their guards, Duncan Robinson and Precious Achiuwa as their forwards while Kelly Olynyk starts as the center. If Adebayo and Dragic are cleared in time, they will be added to the lineup.

Detroit Pistons expected lineup

Unlike the Heat, the Pistons have all but one player available for tonight’s clash. Rookie Killian Hayes is the only name on their injury list, while the rest of the team is fit.

Their lineup will have Delon Wright and Wayne Ellington as their guards, Jerami Grant and Blake Griffin as their forwards, and Mason Plumlee as their center.

Predictions

While the depleted Heat kept it close against the 76ers in their game on Tuesday, they were blown out in their second game against them. Although the Pistons are nowhere as good as the 76ers, they have a better team as it stands. So unless the Heat gets their questionable players cleared for the game, they are likely to end up with a loss.

They will do their best to keep it close. But the Pistons literally have more in their arsenal to come away with a win.