The availability of Jimmy Butler is one of the big questions looming for Friday night’s game between the host Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors.
Butler, a six-time All-Star, is Miami’s spiritual leader and best all-around player. But he left Miami’s win over Charlotte on Wednesday due to a back injury and is listed as probable for Friday’s matchup.
“His back tightened up,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Butler, who missed the entire fourth quarter and played just 25 minutes, scoring six points and grabbing four rebounds.
Butler, 35, is averaging 18.4 points per game, two points lower than last season and four points lower than the previous campaign. That’s not a trend Miami wants to see.
If Butler can’t be ready for Friday’s game, Tyler Herro becomes even more important to the Heat.
Herro, who will turn 25 in January, is having a career year, averaging a team-high 23.6 points. He also leads the team in assists (5.1). Those are both career highs for Herro, a sixth-year pro who is trending toward his first All-Star season.
If Butler is out, the Heat will also look for more scoring from Bam Adebayo (15.9) and Terry Rozier (12.8). Both will likely need to do more if the Heat (8-8) are to get their record over .500.
Friday’s matchup is an NBA Cup game. Miami (1-2) and Toronto (0-2) are likely out of contention in the Eastern Conference’s Group B as Milwaukee (3-0) and Detroit (2-0) are better positioned.
Meanwhile, in terms of the overall standings, this season has been a struggle for the Raptors, who are 5-14 overall and a dismal 1-10 on the road.
Then again, the Raptors are coming off their only road win of the season, beating New Orleans 119-93 on Wednesday.
Toronto made 21 3-pointers on Wednesday, its most since January 2021.
Prior to Wednesday, the Raptors ranked last in the NBA with just 10.4 3-pointers per game.
“We have capable shooters on this team,” said Raptors reserve Jamison Battle, who made 6-of-8 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 24 points on Wednesday.
“It’s just a confidence thing,” Battle said. “There’s no reason for us not to take them when they’re open.”
Battle, 23, is an unexpected success story. He played for three colleges (George Washington, Minnesota and Ohio State), and he went undrafted.
He’s contributing now, and that’s important to the Raptors, who have some key players on the injured list including Immanuel Quickley (elbow); Gradey Dick (calf); Bruce Brown (knee); and Kelly Olynyk (back).
Brown, who played for the University of Miami, and Olynyk, who is a former Heat player, have yet to get into a game this season but were both consistent starters for Toronto last season.
Dick has started all 17 games he has played for Toronto this season, averaging 18.1 points. Quickley has started all three of his games for Toronto this season, averaging 15.3 points.
That leaves Toronto with two stars who are healthy starters: Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett.
Barnes leads Toronto in assists (6.4) and ranks second in scoring (20.0) and rebounds (8.4).
Barrett is first in scoring (22.8) and ranks second in assists (6.3).
–Field Level Media