Jimmy Butler, following an ankle injury with five minutes to, stayed in the game and served as a „decoy“ for the Heat as they pulled away for a Game 1 win over the Knicks.
— A hobbled Jimmy Butler stood in the corner of the court at Madison Square Garden going through his shooting routine repeatedly, even while the ball was in play.
The Miami Heat star knew there wasn’t much he could do in the final five minutes, but he wasn’t going to leave the court.
Butler turned his right ankle on a drive with 5:05 in the fourth quarter but gutted out the rest of the game as the Heat defeated the New York Knicks, 108-101, in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup. In his post-game walk-off interview with ESPN’s Cassidy Hubbarth, Butler said that he just wanted to find a way to be a presence on the floor.
„I didn’t do too much except for airball a three,“ Butler said. „I’ll take the dub.“
When asked how his ankle was feeling, Butler added, „Like a rolled ankle.“
Butler did not address the media following the game but was hobbled as he walked through the Miami Heat locker room. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra didn’t have any more update on Butler following the game.
„You just don’t know with ankle sprains,“ Spoelstra said. „I don’t even know if we’ll know more by tomorrow. We’ll just have to see. It’ll be a waiting game You just don’t know with ankle sprains. I don’t even know if we’ll know more by tomorrow. We’ll just have to see. It’ll be a waiting game.“
With 5:05 remaining in the fourth quarter, Butler drove to his right on Knicks guard Josh Hart. As Butler felt contact from Hart, he rose up for a shot. Hart fell but as he did, he kicked Butler’s right ankle. Butler fell to the ground in a heap and immediately grabbed at his foot. He was on the floor for a few minutes before gingerly walking towards the Heat bench.
Despite the injury, Butler came back in the game to take his two free throws.
