Is Jimmy Butler playing tonight against Knicks? Latest injury update on Heat's star ahead of matchup (March 29, 2023)

Jimmy Butler has been one of the best NBA players since the All-Star break. The Miami Heat swingman has taken it up a notch, helping his team win several big matchups since then.

However, the six-time All-Star missed Tuesday night's matchup against the Toronto Raptors due to a neck issue. The injury will bother him for a while as he's listed as doubtful against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.

While Butler's status may change, it is unlikely that he will be 100% healthy if he plays. Considering that the next game is very important for Miami, this is a huge blow for the team.

Jimmy Butler is dealing with injury problems and will likely miss the matchup against the New York Knicks

The Miami Heat (40-36) will have another matchup against the New York Knicks (43-33). This time, however, the teams will play at Madison Square Garden in New York, giving the Knicks a big advantage.

These teams played last Wednesday in Miami, and the Heat ended up getting a big 7-point victory. Jimmy Butler was the best player on the floor as he had 35 points, four rebounds, nine assists and four steals.

Butler had another fantastic performance last Wednesday (Image via Getty Images)

However, it doesn't appear that Erik Spoelstra and the Heat will be able to count on Jimmy Butler's services tonight. Even if he decides to play through injury, he won't be 100% healthy and may not be able to contribute as well as he can.

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The Heat have been very inconsistent this season and are currently seventh in the Eastern Conference. They are only 0.5 games behind the Brooklyn Nets (40-35) for the sixth spot, and three games behind the Knicks.

With six games left on the schedule, it's unlikely that Miami will be able to catch up with the Knicks. Furthermore, the Heat will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back tonight. If the Knicks win, they will likely secure their fifth spot in the conference.

Butler has been incredible since the All-Star break (Image via Getty Images)

The Heat have a lot of great players, including Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. However, Butler is the best player on the team by a large margin and it's easy to count the Heat out without him.

The 33-year-old star has appeared in 16 games since the All-Star break, averaging 25.8 points per game on 59.6% shooting. Despite not being known as a deadly 3-point shooter, the Heat veteran has knocked down 52.4% of his long-range shots, which is an impressive mark.

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Prior to the matchup with the Knicks, Butler had missed 16 games in the 2022-23 season. He's only missed two games in 2023, but tonight will likely be his third missed game of the year.