by The Miami Heat had a tough matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. The game became even more difficult when Jimmy Butler left in the first quarter and the Heat suffered a 104-97 loss.
Jalen Williams scored 33 points, followed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 25, leading Oklahoma City to its seventh straight win. (Tuesday’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Cup Finals doesn’t count in the standings.) After playing nine of their last 11 road games, the Thunder’s players were ready to go home. But they were still focused on Friday’s game.
When Butler left with 4:41 left in the first frame, most observers thought he had injured his ankle. Butler appeared to twist his left ankle and stepped on Luguentz Dort’s foot as the Thunder forward stole the ball from him on the wing. The veteran missed five games with ankle problems this season.
When the Heat called a timeout, Butler went to the locker room with trainers. Before the start of the second quarter, the team announced that he would not return to the game due to illness.
Then reports began circulating that Butler was struggling with a gastrointestinal illness. That led to the question of whether Butler should have played if he wasn’t feeling well. But after the game, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said Butler was in the lineup because he said he could play.
“I don’t have another thought,” Spoelstra told reporters. “When guys say they can go, we go right away.”
Butler finished with no points and two assists, one game after he posted a triple-double of 35 points, 19 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals in a 125-124 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
Despite Butler’s absence, the Heat battled hard against the Thunder with Tyler Herro posting 28 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Bam Adebayo added 17 points and 10 rebounds and needed seven stitches above his eye after a blow to the face in the third quarter.
“It’s next man up,” Adebayo said of Butler’s departure. “We checked on him at half-time but we have to sort it out. You can’t mess around with who’s in and who’s out. It’s about going out there and trying to get the W.”
Butler has been the subject of trade rumors and was seeking a long-term contract extension that the Heat are unwilling to pay. His leaving Friday’s game will fuel speculation that he is ready to leave Miami. Butler did not travel to Orlando for Saturday’s game against the Magic. Reports suggest he could still join the team in time for the game.
