Jimmy Butler out as Miami Heat face toughest test of the season

The Miami Heat enter Minnesota losers of three straight and down their best player. Meanwhile, the host Timberwolves have won three in a row thanks to the incendiary play of Anthony Edwards.

The Heat have generally done a good job of slowing opposing guards this season. New York’s Jalen Brunson, Phoenix’s Devin Booker and Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox were held mostly in check. But Edwards will test Miami’s defense, which ranks 20th in defensive rating.

They’ll have to do it without Jimmy Butler, who suffered a right ankle sprain early in Friday’s loss in Denver. 

The Heat will be without Jimmy Butler as they try to snap their losing streak against the red-hot Timberwolves.

“We’ve been down this road before, so it’s next man up,” Bam Adebayo said. “We just figure out how we can piece it together and figure it out.”

Jaime Jaquez Jr. is questionable as he recovers from a stomach illness. Kevin Love is available and no longer listed on the injury report. 

Edwards has made 50 3-pointers in nine games this season while shooting a career-best 48.1% from deep. On Friday, he scored 37 points and went 9 for 15 from 3-point range in a win over the Trail Blazers. He has played like a star when the Timberwolves have needed him most.

Meanwhile, Butler’s numbers are down across the board, averaging 18.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in seven games before exiting Friday’s game early with just two points in seven minutes.

Without Butler, the Heat will have to count on Tyler Herro’s shooting (averaging 22.9 points on 45.1% shooting from 3-point range) and Adebayo bouncing back from a rough start on the offensive end while leaning on their defense. During the losing streak, Miami has given up 111, 115 and 135 points, respectively. 

Beating the Timberwolves and snapping this skid without Butler is a tall order, but coach Erik Spoelstra’s teams tend to surprise folks when facing this kind of adversity.

“You've got guys that have done it before,” Duncan Robinson said. “It's just not going to come automatically."