Jimmy Butler Ruled Out Sunday vs. Pistons; Goran Dragic Questionable
The Heat are technically still in contention for the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, but their fate is no longer in their own hands. They will be seeded sixth if the Knicks take care of business on Sunday afternoon vs. the Celtics, so there’s a chance that this game is inconsequential.
With that in mind, it’s not surprising that they’ve listed a few players on the injury report. Butler has already been ruled out due to a back injury after sitting Saturday vs. the Bucks. Luckily, by avoiding the play-in tournament, the Heat will be able to give Butler plenty of time to heal up before the postseason.
Additionally, Dragic has been listed as questionable due to rest purposes. If the Knicks win and the Heat are locked into the No. 6 seed, it seems like a good bet that Dragic will join Butler on the sidelines. That would leave Kendrick Nunn to handle most of the offensive responsibilities, and he finished with 44.7 FanDuel points in last night’s contest. Of course, it’s also possible that the Heat rule out more players closer to game time, so make sure to monitor this situation for updates.
Despite the uncertainty with their lineup, the Heat are still listed as 5.5-point favorites vs. the Pistons on FanDuel Sportsbook.