Heat's Jimmy Butler downgraded on injury report vs. Pacers

For the second time in as many games, the Miami Heat will face the Indiana Pacers in the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Much like the first meeting between the teams, Jimmy Butler is the key name on the injury report as he continues to deal with a right ankle sprain. Here is everything we know about Butler’s injury status against the Pacers on Nov. 17.

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Heat forward Jimmy Butler injury status vs. Pacers

Heat's Jimmy Butler downgraded on injury report vs. Pacers — Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Butler, who has not played for the Heat since Nov. 8, will miss his fourth straight game on Sunday. The 35-year-old will not play in the team’s second game of the year against Indiana after being downgraded from questionable to out.

Through the eight games he has played in 2024, Butler is averaging 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. If those numbers are sustained, it will be Butler’s lowest statistical production since his third season in the NBA. In his sixth season as a member of the Heat, Butler is third on the team in scoring behind Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.

In the three games Butler has missed thus far, the Heat have gone 2-1. Their lone loss in that frame was their infamous defeat to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Cup opener when head coach Erik Spoelstra’s timeout blunder led to Malik Beasley’s game-winning free throw.

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The last time the Heat and Pacers faced each other, Adebayo dropped 30 points to lead Miami to a 124-111 win on Friday night. Herro added 20 points while five other members of the team reached double figures. The Heat moved to 5-6 with the win while Indiana fell to 5-7.

The win was just the Heat’s second win of the year by double-digits after beating the Washington Wizards 118-98 on Nov. 2. Coincidentally or not, both games featured Adebayo eclipsing 30 points.

With Butler sidelined for another game, expect Spoelstra to keep defensive stalwart Haywood Highsmith in the starting lineup. Kevin Love figures to also remain in the starting lineup next to Herro, Adebayo and Terry Rozier III.

Jaren Kawada is a NFL, College Football and Betting Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. Kawada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, but now resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, after graduating from Butler University with a B.A. in sports media.