The “Big Three” that the Heat refer to as their reunion didn’t last long. Jimmy Butler will miss Wednesday’s game in Orlando (7 p.m., Bally Sports Sun) due to a left calf strain he suffered during Monday’s game against Minnesota.
It’s unclear how much or how soon he will miss after that. In addition, Kevin Love is battling a stomach ailment, so the Heat are unsure if he will be able to play against the Magic.
Following his absence from a game due to soreness, Kyle Lowry will be available on Wednesday. Butler, Tyler Herro, and Bam Adebayo played together in Monday’s loss to Minnesota, the first time since Herro’s ankle injury on November 8 in Memphis.
Just seven of the Heat’s first 27 games have been played by the Big Three together. Adebayo had a hip injury three different times and missed ten games before making a comeback on Monday.
Herro’s ankle ailment kept him out of action for eighteen games until Monday. Regarding Butler’s calf issue, Adebayo stated on Tuesday, “Jimmy has been trying to will this team for a long time since me and Tyler have been out.” “He required that respite.”
While no one wants to suffer an injury, you also don’t want it to bother you for too long. I’m relieved he’s handling it now. Of the Heat’s first 27 games this season, 23 have featured Butler. His shooting percentage has dipped from 53.9 percent to 46.2 percent, his lowest since 2019–2020, and his scoring has decreased somewhat from last season (22.9 to 21.5).
His assists have decreased from 5.3 to 4.6 and his rebounds from 5.9 to 5.2. Every season, Butler usually misses time due to injuries. Over the previous three seasons, he has participated in 52, 57, and 64 games. According to Erik Spoelstra, execution rather than consistency is his main priority. He declared, “We have enough continuity.” “We need to become much more consistent in our execution, identity, and specifics of our work in the upcoming fourth quarter.” Six games that the Heat led going into the fourth quarter have ended in losses.
Adebayo, who finished Monday with 22 points and 6 rebounds, and Herro, who finished with 25 points, made their comebacks “about as seamless as it can go,” according to Spoelstra. To get where we need to go, they must go. This Monday was one of the few occasions in recent memory when youngster Jaime Jaquez Jr. did not play well for the most of the fourth quarter, if not the entire one.
He played seven minutes in the fourth quarter. During a late stretch on Monday, Spoelstra chose to start Josh Richardson, Duncan Robinson, Adebayo, Butler, and Herro. Though Monday wasn’t one of his greatest games of the season, Jaquez leads the NBA in fourth quarter minutes and has been extremely steady. About lineup choices made in the fourth quarter, Spoelstra stated, “We’re trying to win.”
“Whoever offers us the best opportunity.” ▪ According to Spoelstra, the Heat’s ability to stop players off the dribble “has to be better” in a league full of quick wing players who can sprint to the basket. We’ve demonstrated that we can.
The entire league is addressing it. Teams that currently don’t adhere to that are currently paying a price. “At the moment, we are in the area of looking for consistency there. We are more than capable of achieving it. That has contributed to our losses in a few games.
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