Jimmy Butler posted a video and still image of himself walking on Monday, a day after he injured his right ankle against the New York Knicks.
It wasn't an official status update. But the implication was clear. The Miami Heat star feels well enough to move around on his ankle with Game 2 scheduled for Tuesday.
Butler posted the image and video in an Instagram story. Here's the image Butler posted of himself walking down a New York street:
He also posted video of himself walking around what looked like a hotel lounge. He appeared to be moving gingerly but without a pronounced limp.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, meanwhile, declined to elaborate Butler's status for Game 2. He told reporters on Monday that Butler is receiving treatment "around the clock."
The latest from Coach Spo on Jimmy Butler’s ankle injury pic.twitter.com/Jyx6HukSPu
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) May 1, 2023
"Same as last night," Spoelstra said when asked about Butler's health. "He's doing treatment around the clock. Probably won't have any update until before the game."
Butler rolled his ankle in the final minutes of Sunday's 108-101 Heat win. He remained in the game, but was largely uninvolved in the offense after the injury. The hero of Miami's stunning five-game upset of the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in Round 1 while averaging 37.6 points per game, Butler still led the Heat with 25 points on Sunday despite his ineffectiveness down the stretch. His status for Game 2 and moving forward is critical for a Heat team already missing starting guard Tyler Herro, who broke his right hand in Game 1 against the Bucks.
The Knicks, meanwhile, didn't provide a status update for the their own injured All-Star Julius Randle. Randle missed Game 1 against Miami with a sprained left ankle sustained against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. The Knicks didn't practice or take the court on Monday.
Randle's absence was noticeable on Monday as New York blew a 12-point lead at home. They'll enter Game 2 on Tuesday looking to avoid digging an 0-2 series hole at home with the series shifting to Miami for Games 3 and 4.
