The Miami Heat are coming off a very disappointing defeat on Monday night. To a hobbled and “basic” Philadelphia 76ers team, playing without their two best players going for them in Joel Embiid and James Harden, the Miami Heat were unable to come away victorious leaving the Wells Fargo Center.
While the Miami Heat were the better unit on the floor, by nature of them being the best team in the entire Eastern Conference and having all of their starting dogs going, they were unable to put that type of effort on tape Monday night.
The Miami Heat usually have a problem with the offense, if you are picking one side more than the other to complain about, however, it was the defense on Monday. Allowing the 76ers to, first, score 50 points in the paint (almost half their total of 113 points), the Miami Heat would fail to properly contend with that number by only putting up 42 of their own.
They would continue to be bullied by the undermanned Philly squad as they were blasted on the boards by nearly 10 and though they could have overcome all of that with their hustle, grit, and effort, they were unable to keep the 76ers off of their own offensive glass.
Arguably the most important of the rebounds, this would result in 13 second-chance points for the Philadelphia team.
The Miami Heat were defeated in Philly on Monday and though they dropped that game, it’s ok. They, absolutely, can’t afford to lose Jimmy Butler though.
While you won’t cry over spilled milk, too much, there is something very key and critical to take from this contest.
Injuring his ankle in their game before their last one, a win against the Thunder in which Jimmy Butler didn’t play, Butler would play in this contest, however, he left the game hopping.
At least, that’s the word according to Miami Heat reporter, Ira Winderman, of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Jimmy Butler limps into postgame media session. Hmm.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) March 22, 2022
As Winderman would indicate with his own “hmm” here, it’s a very interesting scenario to watch. It isn’t “interesting” based on pure intrigue, itself, but for the factors surrounding it.
You know that he received a game off against OKC for it, while you also saw him be his same, dominant, on the way to the basket, drawing fouls, rough, tumble, and tank of a self on Monday.
He would also finish the game with 27 points, five rebounds, and six assists, while he would find himself at the free-throw line five times to go 11-11 from the charity stripe (fouled on a three-point attempt). There is all of that that makes you say “he looked alright”.
There are also these last two things that might make you a bit shaky in your faith there though. The Miami Heat go as Jimmy Butler does, meaning, he has to be going strong for them to maximize their potential this season—or at any time, for that matter.
With that and the last thing, you hope this is just soreness or something of that nature, as to have him reaggravate that ankle so close to the postseason, in defeat, and in a game that really doesn’t mean a ton here would hurt even more.
All in all, it’s something to keep a close eye on because if he isn’t right, neither are their chances.