Jimmy Butler Ruled Out for Heat vs. Nuggets With Tailbone Injury
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler will miss Monday's game against the Denver Nuggets because of a tailbone contusion.
Butler won't be the only player absent for the Heat, however. Tyler Herro and Markieff Morris will also be sidelined:
This will mark the first time since Nov. 15 that Butler will be out of the lineup.
Butler suffered a sprained ankle during Miami's 120-117 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 10. He did play the entire first quarter, scoring seven points, but head coach Erik Spoelstra held him for the rest of the game.
Spoelstra told reporters after the game the Heat were waiting until the five-time All-Star could undergo more tests before providing an update on his availability going forward. He ultimately missed three games.
The Heat are off to a strong start this season. Their 13-7 record ranks second in the Eastern Conference, and their +6.4 net rating is the fourth-best mark in the NBA, per Basketball Reference.
Butler has been the driving force behind Miami's success since joining the team before the 2019-20 season. He leads the team in scoring (23.6 points per game) and is shooting 51.9 percent from the field.
Miami has alternated wins and losses the past five games. If it's going to win back-to-back games for the first time since mid-November, it's going to have to do so without Butler, Herro and Morris.
