ESPN.com · Dec 3, 2022
Heat's Jimmy Butler returns from 7-game absence vs. Celtics
BOSTON -- Miami Heat All-Star Jimmy Butler returned to the court Friday night against the Boston Celtics after missing the prior seven games with soreness in his right knee.
"We'll just figure it out as we go," Heat coach Erik Spoesltra said pregame, when asked if there would be any sort of minutes restriction on Butler in his return. "He's not going to play 15 minutes, but I don't have a set time limit. I won't play him 45 minutes.
"Hopefully there will be a healthy balance somewhere in between."
The Heat have gone 4-5 in the nine games Butler has missed this season, including Wednesday's 134-121 loss to the Celtics here at TD Garden in the first of two consecutive games between these teams.