UPDATE ✅: Is Jimmy Butler playing tonight? Heat vs Nets injury update for Oct.18
Brooklyn, New York, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) dribbles up court during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2023; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) dribbles up court during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler has yet to make an appearance in this preseason, but Wednesday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets at Kaseya Center might be his best chance.
In their fourth game of the preseason, the Heat could treat this game as a dress rehearsal of sorts in advance of the start of the regular season next week. Butler and Caleb Martin have yet to play this preseason, and Nikola Jovic has missed all but the first half of Miami’s first preseason game.
There are no official injury reports in the preseason, but coach Erik Spoelstra did say all three of Butler, Martin and Jovic were partial participants in practice Tuesday.
Jimmy Butler’s status for the Miami Heat’s preseason game against the Nets
Butler has missed Miami’s first four preseason games with a dental issue that isn’t serious. If Butler is going to play at all this preseason, Wednesday night’s game against the Nets makes the most sense. It’s the Heat’s final home game of the preseason, with the finale being played in Houston against the Rockets on Friday.
Spoelstra said he would like to get a full dress rehearsal as some point this preseason but added that the Heat didn’t necessarily need to do so in a game and could also conduct that in a practice.
What other players are questionable?
Martin and Jovic could see some time after missing all or most of the preseason. Jaime Jaquez Jr. did not practice Tuesday because of a groin strain and will be held out of Wednesday’s game. He hasn’t played since the preseason opener.
“Taking it day to day, slow, be very cautious. I’m not trying to make anything worse than it already is,” Jaquez said. “I’m not going to play [Wednesday]. After that, we will reassess and go from there.”
Miami’s remaining preseason schedule
The Heat will play their final preseason game Friday against the Rockets in Houston. After that, they’ll open the regular season on October 25 against the Detroit Pistons at Kaseya Center.
