Is Jimmy Butler playing tonight? Latest injury update for Heat vs. Knicks

Jimmy Butler led the Heat to a first-round upset of the top-seeded Bucks but left Game 1 against the Knicks with an ankle sprain. Will he be available for Game 2?

No one could stop Jimmy Butler in the first round of the playoffs. It wasn’t just his 56-point masterpiece — he averaged 37.6 points across the first round, shooting 59.7 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from beyond the arc. He made every big shot and gave the Heat the swagger and confidence to keep rolling.

The Heat got another sparkling effort from Butler in Game 1 of the second round against the Knicks, scoring 25 points with 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Unfortunately for the Heat, he also rolled his ankle late in the fourth quarter. He was able to stay in the game but was clearly hobbled and less than effective. The Heat were able to hold off the Knicks down the stretch and preserve the win without him but they’ll need him back to 100 percent if they have any hope of pushing this surprising playoff run deeper.

Will Jimmy Butler be available for Game 2 against the Knicks?

Update, 6:00 p.m. ET – Multiple reports at this time stated that Jimmy Butler will not play on Tuesday night against the Knicks and is now listed as out for Game 2.

Original Post – Butler is currently listed as questionable in the official NBA injury report. According to Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra: “He’s doing treatment around the clock. Probably won’t have any update until before the game.”

If Butler is unable to play, Caleb Martin would likely replace him in the starting lineup, with increased minutes off the bench for Duncan Robinson and Haywood Highsmith. The Heat are already short on depth with Victor Oladipo out for the playoffs and the rest of their bench just features a 40-year-old Udonis Haslem, 19-year-old rookie Nikola Jovic and lightly used big-man Omer Yurtseven.

Check out The Step Back for more news, analysis, opinion and unique basketball coverage. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our daily email newsletter, The Whiteboard.