Miami Heat: Is Jimmy Butler this team’s death sentence?

Jimmy Butler won’t be playing against the Miami Heat with the Philadelphia 76ers tonight, but his acquisition will surely have a rippling effect on the Eastern Conference.

After a pair of mistake-ridden losses in the Miami Heat’s Vice themed debut, the team is looking to snap the streak against its conference rival Philadelphia 76ers.

Miami catches a break tonight, at least relatively speaking. Though the 76ers acquired Miami’s once-coveted Jimmy Butler over the weekend, the City of Brotherly Love will be without its newest star.

Butler’s absence serves as a blessing and a curse. On the upside, the 76ers will be down two starters—Robert Covington and Dario Saric, both traded for Butler.

However, the long-term prognosis for the Heat is that the conference just got a lot tougher.

That’s not to say Miami is completely out of sorts in the East.

Despite conference giants like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Kemba Walker, and now Butler, standing in Miami’s way, the Heat still have budding stars in Josh Richardson and Hassan Whiteside to level the playing field.

Still, at Miami’s current rate, just making the playoffs in the East will be an uphill battle, as the 76ers are fielding three players of All-Star and All-NBA talent.

If Miami has plans to make a splash in the East, tonight is as good a night as any to make a statement.

Take advantage

If Butler’s “you need me” practice rant in Minnesota was any indication, Miami needs to take advantage of his absence tonight.

Not just because Philadelphia is without a player who is now their second-best scorer. Rather, Miami can back the 76ers into the realization that, as was clear to Minnesota general manager Scott Layden, they need Butler.

Miami can also apply pressure to what has now become Philadelphia’s most glaring weakness: 3-point shooting. Over the last few months, theyhave lost Covington, Saric, Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli.

3-point specalist JJ Redick still calls Philadelphia home, and Mike Muscala and Wilson Chandler will do their best to replicate it, but their 3’s have yet to manifest themselves as they did last season.

That’s great news for Miami, who boasts four players shooting at least 40 percent from 3, Including resident high-flyer Derrick Jones Jr. who takes about an attempt per game.

Of course, 3’s aren’t all that matters.

The marquee matchup tonight involves a pair of centers, Whiteside and Joel Embiid, who have the chance to revitalize their antagonistic relationship. Though Embiid is the fourth best scorer in the league at 27.7 points per game, Whiteside has him beat on the glass, scratching off 15.5 boards per night.

Though Miami is in a tough spot after this weekend, conquering this iteration of the 76ers is a very achievable goal. Vice Nights may not be the formula for success, but the pair of careless losses need to be taken in stride.

Tip off begins at 7:30 PM ET.