Heat star Jimmy Butler (knee inflammation) plans to play in Game 1 against the Sixers on Monday, as Nick Friedell of ESPN relays (Twitter link). Butler missed Miamiβs final game against the Hawks last Tuesday and expressed confidence his knee will hold up.
Philadelphia will be without superstar center Joel Embiid (orbital fracture and mild concussion), however, which Butler says he and the rest of the Heat are disappointed about. Butler also said Embiid deserves to win the Most Valuable Player award this season.
βI think I speak for everybody thatβs a part of this team, we want Jo to play,β he said. βWe want to go up against them at full strength and prove that we can hang with anybody and we can beat anybody.β
As we wrote on Friday, Embiid doesnβt have a timetable for his return. The Sixers and Heat will play Game 2 on Wednesday, then travel to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday.
Here are some other notes from the East:
Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel explores…
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