The Miami Heat will take on the Atlanta Hawks this Saturday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The Heat enter the matchup with a 15-13 record, fresh off a narrow 89-88 victory over the Orlando Magic. Meanwhile, the Hawks hold a 16-15 record and are coming off an impressive 141-133 win against the Chicago Bulls.
Both teams have released their injury reports ahead of the game. Jimmy Butler will not be playing for the Heat as he is focusing on conditioning. Butler may rejoin the team after their road trip.
Other Heat players listed on the injury report include Dru Smith, who is out due to an Achilles issue, and Josh Richardson, who is sidelined with a heel injury. Nikola Jovic is questionable with an ankle problem, while Terry Rozier and Pelle Larsson are both probable with knee and ankle concerns, respectively.
The Hawks also have several players dealing with injuries. Trae Young is listed as questionable due to a heel issue. Meanwhile, Bogdan Bogdanovic is also questionable with a leg injury.
Additional players on the injury list include Dominick Barlow and Mouhamed Gueye, both listed as questionable due to G League commitments and Daeqwon Plowden and Keaton Wallace, who is questionable with two-way contracts. Kobe Bufkin is out with a shoulder injury, Onyeka Okongwu is sidelined with a knee issue, and Cody Zeller will not be with the team.
Pat Riley Shuts Down Jimmy Butler Trade Rumors
Jimmy Butler’s absence from the Miami Heat lineup due to a stomach ailment has fueled a wave of trade rumors. The speculation grew so intense that Heat president Pat Riley felt compelled to address the situation publicly.
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“We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches. Therefore, we will make it clear: we are not trading Jimmy Butler,” Riley said.
Butler has missed the last three games for Miami since twisting his ankle during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Prior to the injury, the star forward was averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists this season.
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