Playoff previews: Heat lose Butler, Panthers face Tampa Bay
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Jimmy Butler during Wednesday's loss to Philadelphia. Photo: David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
Miami Heat All-Star Jimmy Butler is expected to miss several weeks following a knee injury sustained in Wednesday's Play-In Tournament loss, ESPN reports.
The latest: Butler has been ruled out for Friday's Play-In game against Chicago, which will determine whether Miami makes the NBA Playoffs or goes home for the summer.
- An MRI on Butler's knee found a right MCL sprain, the Heat announced Thursday.
What we're watching: The Heat take on the Bulls Friday (7pm, ESPN) to decide the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
- The winner will advance to the playoffs and face the No. 1 seed Boston Celtics in a first-round series beginning Sunday afternoon.
- Friday's game is at the Kaseya Center. Tickets start at $22.
- The Bulls are 3–2 against the Heat this season.
🏒 In other sports news, the surging Florida Panthers enter the Stanley Cup playoffs on Sunday on a four-game winning streak and in first place in their division.
The Panthers are also at home on Sunday for Game 1 of a first-round playoff series against their Florida rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning (12:30pm, ESPN).
- Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk, named one of the top 10 players in this year's playoffs by ESPN, made us all hockey fans last year with his electrifying overtime game-winners.
- Florida made it to the Stanley Cup Final last year, but will go up against a Tampa Bay team that has actually won the championship three times.
- Florida and Tampa Bay have played twice in the playoffs, in 2021 and 2022, with the Lightning winning that match-up both times.
- This season, Florida beat Tampa Bay in two out of three matchups.
🥹 Flashback: The Heat and the Panthers gave South Florida some great memories last year as two No. 8 seed underdogs that clawed their way to the championship stage.
- They didn't end up winning it all, but it was a lot of fun watching them almost make history — and planning the logistics for simultaneous championship parades in our heads.