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Fans of the Miami Heat had a scare as Jimmy Butler went down after being fouled by Kelly Oubre Jr. late in the first quarter. As Butler led the Heat's fastbreak for an open shot, Oubre trailed him, which made the star forward pull a pump fake and Oubre clobbered him.
The Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers are playing in the play-in tournament on Wednesday night for Eastern Conference's seventh seed in the players. Both teams have players who have previously played for each other's franchise, which makes it an interesting matchup.
Butler, who used to play for the Sixers, is trying to lead the Heat to another playoff appearance. However, during the final play of the first period, Oubre fell onto the star. Miami's All-Star quickly grabbed his knee and was down on the floor for some time.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra wasn't happy with what happened to the All-Star forward.
"What the f*ck was that?" Spoelstra said as Butler was on the floor.
Former Heat star Alonzo Mourning was also at the game and showed concern for the star who spent some time grabbing his knee. The team president, Pat Riley, was next to Mourning and couldn't hide the concern on his face.
Ultimately, the officials ruled the play as a common foul. Butler was able to get back up and shoot his two free throws.
Jimmy Butler's bold statement coming into the postseason
The postseason is where the real stars usually shine. For Jimmy Butler and the Heat, it's the time of the year when they start to play games more seriously. Before the 2024 NBA playoffs start, however, Butler made sure to give a statement to give the rest of the league a warning about his squad.
"It’s the time where people really gotta think about going up against the Miami Heat and myself," Butler said. "I know what I’m capable of. I know what my squad is capable of. And don’t nobody want to see us in a seven-game series anyways. We know that."
It's known in the league that Butler takes the playoffs seriously. Last year, the Heat entered the postseason as the eighth seed and won the series against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. They didn't waste any time as Miami won five games to send Giannis Antetokounmpo and his team home.
For this year, many expect the Heat to be a playoff team and possibly upset either the Boston Celtics or the New York Knicks. The matchup depends on what the team does in the play-in tournament.
Guess the Lakers players!
