Big news prior of the Miami Heat-Utah Jazz game. The Utah Jazz and Miami Heat will play for the first game this season on Saturday night. The Jazz are attempting to stop a five-game losing streak, while the Heat are looking to get back in the win column after dropping their previous game. To win, the Heat will need to do so without their finest player.
The Heat announced Jimmy Butler’s suspension for ‘behavior detrimental to the team.’ The punishment will be for seven games.
Butler is in his sixth season with the Miami Heat, where he has enjoyed tremendous success. Despite this accomplishment, Butler and the Heat have yet to reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension, which Butler has reportedly been seeking. Following this season, the 35-year-old will be eligible for free agency.
The Heat will also be missing Josh Richardson (heel irritation) and Dru Smith (Achilles surgery). Otherwise, the Heat are healthy for the game, which is encouraging if their depth is challenged in the aftermath of the Butler incident.
Miami is 17-15, good for sixth in the Eastern Conference, thanks primarily to Tyler Herro. The guard is having a career year and has taken over the reigns as the team’s leading scorer, even when Butler
plays. Utah’s John Collins is questionable for the game due to a left hip contusion that has held him out of the team’s last five games. In addition, rookie Cody Williams will miss the game since he has been assigned to the team’s G-League club.
If Collins is unable to accommodate Williams’ absence, the Jazz will be forced to rely on a combination of veterans and young players to cover the revolving vacuum. Johnny Juzang, a third-year wing, started the last two games and performed admirably.
The Jazz remain in 14th position in the Western Conference, with a 7-25 record. However, they have been more competitive than their record suggests in recent weeks. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. MT.
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