Heat’s Butler returns to Miami to treat injury
The Miami Heat traveling party continued to shrink as the team worked its way to the final game of its five-game trip on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center.
Forward Jimmy Butler returned to Miami on Friday, after sitting out Wednesday night’s victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, the third consecutive game he missed with what now is listed as 1st MP joint sprain of his right foot.
“The diagnosis is still the same,” coach Erik Spoelstra said Friday of Butler continuing to be listed as day-to-day. “We felt it would be better for him to train in our facility and do more things around the clock.”
With his absence in Phoenix, Butler has now missed seven of the past eight games. He returned during the second game of the trip in last Saturday’s loss to the Utah Jazz after missing four games with a strained left calf. He then was sidelined against the Jazz in the third quarter.
Spoelstra downplayed speculation of an extended absence for Butler with the latest injury.
MLB: Outfielder Mitch Haniger returned to the Mariners when he was acquired from the Giants on Friday with right-hander Anthony DeSclafani and $6 million for left-hander Robbie Ray in a trade of underperforming players coming off injuries.
Hockey: The U.S. has beat Sweden 6-2 to win the IIHF world junior championship on Friday. Isaac Howard scored twice in the second period and was named the U.S. player of the game.
NFL: Browns starting middle linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. was placed on injured reserve Friday after undergoing knee surgery.
Soccer: Brazil coach Fernando Diniz was fired on Friday. The front-runner to replace him is Dorival Júnior from Sao Paulo.