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The Miami Heat impressively overcame a Jimmy Butler injury and a massive blown lead to steal Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on the road against the Boston Celtics. But even though the Heat found a way to take a 2-1 lead in the series, there was still some concern that Butler may have suffered a significant knee injury and could miss the rest of the playoffs.

Miami fans can breathe a sigh of relief, though, as Butler reportedly didn’t suffer a serious injury and intends to play in Game 4 on Monday night.

The Heat survived a scary Jimmy Butler injury to win Game 3

Jimmy Butler looks on against the Celtics.
Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat looks on against the Boston Celtics in Game 2 | Michael Reaves/Getty Images

It was all Heat early in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday night. Miami jumped out to a 39-18 lead after the first quarter and looked to be on its way to a blowout win in enemy territory.

But Butler, who’s battled injury issues in his right knee for most of the season, suffered a flare-up in the same knee during the first half and was ruled out for the rest of the game. The veteran guard has been his team’s most reliable scorer all postseason long, so Miami’s offense understandably went cold in the second half. Boston was able to chip away at the massive deficit and take the lead with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Luckily for the Heat, they were able to take the punch on the chin and throw one right back. Miami finished the game on a 19-11 run without Butler to steal a win on the road and take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Butler congratulated his teammates in street clothes after the game, which worried fans about his chances of playing in Game 4 and moving forward. But those same fans received some good news hours later.

Heat receive positive update on Jimmy Butler’s injury

The Heat don’t stand much of a chance against the Celtics without Butler for the rest of the series, but that won’t be an issue based on the latest injury report. According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Butler did not suffer a serious injury and intends to play in Game 4.

Butler has missed multiple games this season due to problems with his right knee. Just recently, he missed Game 5 of the Heat’s first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks because of it. He may not be 100% healthy for the rest of the series, but Butler will be on the court with hopes of leading Miami to its first NBA title since 2013.

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Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.