SAN FRANCISCO — The Miami Heat ruled forward Jimmy Butler out with a right ankle injury not long after he needed help to get off the floor and into the locker room late in the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors on Monday.
Butler sustained the injury when he went to plant his right foot on a move, but also appeared to lose his footing. He fell to the floor while holding the ball and was in pain as play was stopped with 3:14 left in the third quarter.
Miami took a timeout and Butler had to be helped off the floor by two Heat members as he was unable to put any weight on the ankle.
Butler turned his right ankle in a game against Washington on Dec. 28. He was ruled out against San Antonio in a Dec. 29 game that was postponed.
Butler had 22 points and five rebounds before he left with his ankle injury. Butler has missed 15 games this season, including eight straight games in December because of a tailbone injury.