Preview: Jimmy Butler probable for road visit to Dallas

The Miami Heat will could very well have Jimmy Butler back for the first time since the first half of their Dec. 25 game at the Dallas Mavericks Friday night. Butler travelled with Miami to Dallas yesterday and is listed as probable.

The news is welcome for the Heat, a team that has used a different starting lineup in all of their four games in the 2020-21 season. Wednesday night, Miami earned a nice win against the Milwaukee Bucks, rallying from a 14-point third-quarter deficit.

On the other side, Miami will face the Dallas Mavericks, a team that has gone just 1-3 early in the season. (Their one win, of course, was the 51-point throttling over the Los Angeles Clippers — a lopsided win the Bucks nearly matched Tuesday night over Miami).

Aside from potential MVP candidate Luka Doncic, the Mavericks have two former Heat players — Josh Richardson and James Johnson. In the midst of Dallas’ blowout loss to the Charlotte Hornets Dec. 30, Johnson and Cody Martin exchanged words.

Tip-off is a little after 7 p.m. ET.

PROBABLE LINEUPS

Miami Heat —

• Avery Bradley
• Tyler Herro
• Duncan Robinson
• Jimmy Butler
• Bam Adebayo

Dallas Mavericks —

• Luka Doncic
• Josh Richardson
• Tim Hardaway Jr.
• Dorian Finney-Smith
• Dwight Powell

BROADCAST INFO

TV: FOX SPORTS SUN, NBA League Pass
RADIO: The Ticket 790AM & The HEAT Radio Network (Mike Inglis, Ruth Riley Hunter)
SPANISH RADIO: WAXY 790, WAQI 710AM & The HEAT Spanish Radio Network (José Pañeda, Joe Pujala)

Come back to Hot Hot Hoops at game time to join our GameThread and chat about the game live with other Heat fans!