Miami Heat Falls to Thunder as Jimmy Butler Exits Early With Illness

The Heat struggled without Butler and faced tough competition from the Thunder, who secured a 104-97 victory in Miami.

Jimmy Butler left the game in the first quarter due to a stomach illness, leaving the Heat shorthanded for the remainder of the matchup.
The Oklahoma City Thunder capitalized on Miami's 19 turnovers, scoring 27 points off those mistakes to secure the win.
Tyler Herro stepped up in Butler's absence, recording 28 points, a season-high 12 rebounds, and five assists, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Thunder's depth.
Bam Adebayo briefly exited the game in the third quarter after sustaining a cut above his left eye but returned to finish with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
The Heat now face uncertainty regarding Butler's availability for Saturday's game against the Orlando Magic, who are missing key players but remain a strong defensive team.