Miami again without Butler as Morris returns home

SALT LAKE CITY — The Miami Heat were without Jimmy Butler for a second consecutive game Saturday, with the veteran forward out against the Utah Jazz with a sprained right ankle.

Butler now has missed nearly three games, sidelined in the first quarter of Wednesday night’s overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and then out for Thursday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, with both games at Staples Center.

He had been listed as questionable Friday and then early Saturday.

“I see he’s making progress,” coach Erik Spoelstra said ahead of Saturday’s game at Vivint Arena. “I don’t have a timeframe for when he’ll be back, but he’s still on this road trip.”

That is not the case with reserve forward Markieff Morris, who returned to South Florida after Thursday’s game.

Morris is dealing with whiplash, the result of his fracas with center Nikola Jokic in Tuesday night’s loss to the Denver Nuggets at the start of this five-game western swing that concludes Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“He’s already been making progress and just felt it was better, just him staying there,” Spoelstra said.

The Heat’s next game after the trip is Wednesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans at FTX Arena.

Questionable going into Saturday night’s game was center Bam Adebayo, who is dealing with swelling in his left knee. Adebayo, however, played through the discomfort, remaining in the starting lineup.

Spoelstra said the problem began when Adebayo bumped knees during a home game two weeks ago.

“And then on this road trip, he hit it again,” Spoelstra said. “He’s padded. But those things can be tender. And then you’re playing 37 minutes a game, jumping, running, sliding. It can get sore.”

Distant view: So why a 5 p.m. Eastern game on a Saturday, a

3 p.m. start in Salt Lake City? Because of the NBA’s Europe Primetime Initiative.

The game was one of 48 weekend games this season scheduled by the NBA to be featured in prime time or late-night in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The Heat are part of two games in the Initiative, which also includes the Orlando Magic’s 3:30 p.m. visit to FTX Arena on Dec. 26.

According to the league, NBA Sundays have seen a 20%-plus increase in viewership in Europe across measured markets since its launch in 2014.

Midnight madness: The Heat are holding a Midnight Madness event on Sunday night, with Miami Mashup merchandise be available for in-person purchase

The event at FTX Arena runs from midnight to 2 a.m. Monday morning.

Those purchasing a Miami Mashup jersey at the event will receive, while supplies last, a gift package that includes a Miami Mashup bag, headband, lanyard, and cell phone credit-card holder.

Memo issued: Included in the latest memo to the Heat and the rest of the league is an emphasis “of the NBA’s and Players Association’s joint recommendation that players and Tier 1 Personnel receive a booster dose of a

COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, particularly in light of the current coronavirus situation and increasing cases.”

The memo also states: “As background, the weekly number of national coronavirus cases is now increasing for the first time since late-August, 7-day case averages are rising in 29 states, and COVID19 community transmission in 26 of 30 NBA markets is considered by the CDC to be ‘high’ or ‘substantial.’ Our infectious disease and public health experts attribute this to several factors, including waning efficacy from the large number of vaccines administered earlier in the year and the relaxation of infection control measures such as masking. Consistent with these trends, we are observing an increase in confirmed positive cases among vaccinated players, team staff, and family members.”