Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is expected to miss several weeks with an MCL injury in his right knee, The Athletic's Shams Charania and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Thursday.
Butler went down after getting fouled in the final seconds of the first quarter in Wednesday's play-in defeat against the Philadelphia 76ers. He took the subsequent free throws and went on to play 40 minutes, collecting 19 points, five steals and five assists on 5-for-18 shooting.
The six-time All-Star said Wednesday night that he would be getting an MRI on Thursday.
"It felt like I couldn't do too much, which sucks with the timing of the game and everything," Butler said after the game. "I hope that I'm fine. I hope that I wake up tomorrow and can still stick-and-move. Right now, I can't say that's the case."
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With Wednesday's loss, the Heat will now face the Chicago Bulls in Miami on Friday for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. The winner of that game will face the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round beginning on Sunday.
It's a familiar situation for the Heat, who had to earn the No. 8 seed at home against the Bulls last season to kick off a stunning playoff run that ended in the NBA Finals. However, with Butler's injury, it will be an even greater uphill battle for the reigning Eastern Conference champions.
