Optimism about Butler for Game 3. And updates on Heat rebounding, tickets, more
Barring a setback, there’s optimism that Heat star Jimmy Butler will be able to play in Saturday’s Game 3 of Miami’s second-round playoff series against the Knicks, a source close to the situation said Thursday.
Butler has been sidelined since spraining his right ankle late in Sunday’s Game 1.
“He’s not limping too much and seems to be getting treatment around the clock,” forward Kevin Love said Thursday.
Coach Erik Spoelstra said Thursday he would not answer any questions about Butler’s health or availability for Saturday.
“As a guy that knows how competitive he is, I would be optimistic,” guard Kyle Lowry said of Butler’s availability for Game 3 at Kaseya Center (3:30 p.m., ABC). “But who knows, honestly?”
Max Strus, who left Game 2 with a lower back bruise before returning, said Thursday: “I’m good. Nothing’s wrong with me.”
REBOUNDING ISSUES
Th biggest problem for the Heat in this series? The Knicks keep pounding the Heat on the boards, 98-73, through two games. In their six meetings this season, New York has a 265-209 rebound advantage.
So has this been a case of lack of effort, lack of size, taking bad angles or bad luck with how balls have caromed off the rims?
“It wasn’t lack of effort, Spoelstra said. “That’s what they do very well. The [Knicks are] the No. 1 offensive rebounding team. A lot of it is set up by their drives. When we’re at our best, we do it [rebounding] as well as anybody in this league.”
Size is an issue but it goes beyond that. Adebayo, 6-9, has 16 rebounds in 75 minutes in the series, often needing to leave the basket area to help on perimeter players. The 6-4 Josh Hart, one of the NBA’s best rebounding guards, has 19 in 76 minutes for the Knicks.
▪ The Adebayo/Love pairing — now once again starting together — has had more team success in the playoffs than during the regular season.
During the playoffs, the Heat has outscored teams by six points and shot 43.5 percent on threes in 93 minutes when Adebayo and Love have been on the court at the same time. During the regular season, Miami was outscored by 24 points and shot 36.7 percent on threes when those two played together.
“With a guy like Kevin [and Kyle Lowry], they make sense in both lineups,” Spoelstra said. “We’re grateful to have him and willing to do whatever role — come off the bench or next game, hey start.”
TICKET ISSUES
The Florida Panthers, who are playing the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round of the NHL playoffs, would not permit people who have a Canadian mailing address to order tickets that initially went on sale for Panthers’ home games during this round.
But the Heat has no mechanism to prevent Knicks fans from attending Game 3 or 4, because many of those fans have moved from New York to South Florida over the years.
Caleb Martin and Max Strus said they noticed Knicks fans during previous Heat home games.
“Yeah, we’ve heard it a little of it,” Strus said. “But that’s on us to play better and not let them have anything to cheer about.”
“Obviously, they carry a big fan base wherever they go,” Martin said. “We’ve got plenty of fans, here, so we’re not really worried about that.”
According to Stubhub, the Heat-Knicks series has the most “in-demand” tickets in the second round. Tickets for Games 3 and 4 start at $175 and $165, respectively, per Stubhub.
“Heading into the season, the Heat and the Knicks were among StubHub’s top 10 most in-demand teams,” Stubhub spokesperson Adam Budelli said, adding that “total sales for Heat-Knicks are outselling the No. 2 semifinal series, Lakers-Warriors, by more than 50 percent and has doubled sales of the 76ers-Celtics and Nuggets-Suns series combined.”
“Our arena is one of the most underrated loud arenas, particularly in the fourth quarter,” Spoelstra said.
