Butler may miss game vs. 76ers
Miami Heat wing Jimmy Butler, who missed the second half of Tuesday’s playoff-clinching win in Boston with a right eye contusion, has been listed as questionable for Thursday’s home game against Philadelphia.
Butler was poked in the eye during a collision with Celtics guard Marcus Smart while pursuing a loose ball. Erik Spoelstra said Butler did not need to enter concussion protocol. 76ers center Joel Embiid (illness) also was listed as questionable.
The Heat remains fifth in the East after Atlanta’s 120-116 comeback win against Washington on Wednesday.
Miami is one-half game behind No. 4 Atlanta (3931), which owns the tiebreaker against the Heat by virtue of winning the season series.
The Heat and the No. 6 Knicks are both 38-31, but the Heat holds the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the season series against New York.
If the Hawks, Heat and Knicks finish with the same record, Atlanta would be the No. 4 seed (by virtue of winning the Southeast Division), the Heat the fifth seed and New York the sixth seed.
Atlanta closes with two seemingly easy home games: against Orlando on Thursday and Houston on Sunday.
If the Hawks win those, they will be the fourth seed.
The Knicks play host to San Antonio on Thursday, Charlotte on Saturday and Boston on Sunday. After the 76ers game, Miami plays at Milwaukee on Saturday and at Detroit on Sunday.
ELSEWHERE
Pistons: Detroit has agreed to a contract extension with coach Dwane Casey through the 202324 season.
Casey is wrapping up his third season with the rebuilding Pistons, who at 20-50 have the secondworst record in the NBA. Detroit is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Southeast
x-Atlanta x-Miami Charlotte Washington Orlando Central
y-Milwaukee Indiana Chicago Cleveland Detroit
Dallas Memphis San Antonio New Orleans Houston Northwest
y-Utah x-Denver Portland Minnesota Oklahoma City Pacific
50 45 40 22 21 W
19 24 29 47 49
L
x-Phoenix x-L.A. Clippers L.A. Lakers Golden State Sacramento x-clinched playoff
WEDNESDAY
Atlanta 120, Washington 116 Boston at Cleveland, late
San Antonio at Brooklyn, late New Orleans at Dallas, late Portland at Utah, late
Houston at L.A. Lakers, late
THURSDAY
Philadelphia at Miami, 7:30
L.A. Clippers at Charlotte, 7 Milwaukee at Indiana, 7 Orlando at Atlanta, 7:30
San Antonio at New York, 7:30 Denver at Minnesota, 8 Sacramento at Memphis, 8 Toronto at Chicago, 8
Portland at Phoenix, 10
TUESDAY
Miami 129, Boston 121
.725 .652 .580 .319 .300
Pct
— 5 10 28 291⁄2
GB
48 21 .696 — 46 23 .667 2 39 30 .565 9 37 33 .529 111⁄2 31 38 .449 17 spot; y-clinched division