Miami Heat starting small forward Jimmy Butler’s absence will be extended to at least two games, as he’s been ruled out against the Phoenix Suns. Butler sprained his right ankle against the Golden State Warriors on January 3 and was listed as questionable leading up to Saturday night’s contest.
UPDATE: Jimmy Butler (ankle) has been ruled out of tonight's game.
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) January 9, 2022
Butler has been in and out of the lineup all season due to various ailments, starting 23 games for the Heat. The 32-year-old leads the team in scoring with 23.2 points per game, ranking fourth in rebounding and second in assists. Consequently, Butler is the team leader in Win Shares, Box Plus/Minus, and Value Over Replacement Player.
Caleb Martin should get his eighth start of the season for the Heat. Martin has been effective in the starting lineup, averaging 15.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
The Heat have six wins over their past eight but enter tonight’s contest as +10 underdogs against the top team in the league, per the line info from FanDuel Sportsbook.
