As Wednesday saw the reports that Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler wants to be traded before the Feb. 6 deadline, his injury status for Thursday's game against the Orlando Magic has been released along with point guard Terry Rozier. With the Heat beating the Brooklyn Nets last Monday, they want to build on the victory, hoping to get their two stars back.
However, Butler seems to be set to miss his third straight game as he is listed as “doubtful” according to the team's official X, formerly Twitter, account with a stomach illness. As for Rozier, he is “questionable” for the contest with left knee inflammation, which kept him out of Monday's win over the Nets as he was a late add to the injury report on the day of the game.
The team has been dealing with a little bit of the injury bug as of recently, highlighted by the Heat star in Butler who has been the face of trade speculation this season.
Heat hoping to overcome injury issues
Butler would leave last Friday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with what appeared to be an ankle injury after a collision had him limping off the floor, but the team would announce he was “feeling ill.”
As said before, Rozier would be a late add to the report before the game against the Nets, and it was during the win that Miami had to witness the season-ending injury to Heat guard Dru Smith, who suffered a torn Achilles. Head coach Erik Spoelstra would tell ClutchPoints after the win that the big aspect for the team he wants to see during this Holiday break is to “get everybody feeling good physically.”
“We just want to, get everybody feeling good physically,” Spoelstra said. “You know, we've had a stretch, not of a ton of games, but just guys have been dealing with some minor things. I just want everybody to feel good, you know, and we'll get ready for a big game in Orlando, and then, in the meantime, I want guys to understand what a great place we're in, even though we're not where we want to be, there's a lot to be grateful for.
“This locker room and who we have,” Spoelstra continued. “There's a lot to be grateful for. That we're all here together, you know, for a reason, and we have an opportunity ahead of us. So take a couple of days to think about that, reflect on that, and see the abundance that'll be there for us in 25 and in the meantime, we'll have a great holiday and get ready for a big game in Orlando.”
Heat “haven't played bad basketball” per Tyler Herro
While the team hopes to get back the likes of Butler and Rozier soon, they start a three-game road trip Thursday against the Magic, in the same building where the Heat suffered the major collapse, losing a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter. It's been a rollercoaster for Miami as they had an impressive four-game winning streak, then a three-game skid as Tyler Herro said to ClutchPoints that they “haven't played bad basketball.”
“I think we haven't played bad basketball,” Herro said. “I think we lost three the last three before this. But we keep continuing to show glimpses of good offense and good defense in different sections of the game. So I would just say focus on consistency and sustain our game and our identity throughout a full 48 minutes, which will continue to grow on and continue to get better at, you know. So we enjoy these next two days and be ready for Orlando.”
Asked Erik Spoelstra about the message to coming off a skid, the collapse in Orlando, the win, and with the holidays here.
“Get everybody feeling good physically…I want guys to understand what a great place we’re in, even though we’re not where we want to be…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/Wb4u4PRtxa— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 24, 2024
Miami is 14-13 which puts them sixth in the Eastern Conference before the game Thursday night.
