An update on Jimmy Butler’s status for Tuesday vs. Hawks. And Heat impressed by Achiuwa

There’s a chance the Miami Heat could have star Jimmy Butler back for Tuesday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks.

Butler missed Sunday’s win against the Hawks because of right knee inflammation, and he’s listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Hawks at AmericanAirlines Arena.

“I think in a season like this with so much news about COVID-19, there can be other basketball minor things,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Sunday of Butler’s injury. “That’s what this is. ... We just want to be proactive about it. He’ll be day-to-day from here.”

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Butler’s knee issue is believed to be minor, and there’s optimism he will return soon. He has already missed 13 of the Heat’s first 34 games — two because of a sprained right ankle, 10 because of the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols and one because of right knee inflammation.

The Heat (17-17) is 4-9 in games that Butler has missed and 13-8 in games he has played in this season. He’s averaging 20.1 points and career highs in rebounds (7.8) and assists (7.8) this season.

Goran Dragic replaced Butler in the Heat’s starting lineup, alongside Bam Adebayo, Kelly Olynyk, Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn for Sunday’s win against the Hawks.

While there is a chance Butler could play Tuesday, the Heat has ruled out Avery Bradley (left calf strain) and Meyers Leonard (season-ending left shoulder surgery). It will mark the 14th consecutive game that Bradley has missed, with only one more opportunity to return (Thursday at New Orleans Pelicans) before the All-Star break.

In addition, Heat two-way contract guard Gabe Vincent (right knee soreness) is probable to play Tuesday.

Heat guard Tyler Herro returned Sunday from a three-game absence stemming from a right hip contusion. After totaling two points on 1-of-5 shooting in the first three quarters, he scored 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting in the fourth quarter of Miami’s win over Atlanta.

Herro was not on the injury report for Tuesday’s contest.

Meanwhile, the Hawks listed guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee) as questionable for Tuesday’s game. Wing Kevin Huerter is probable to play despite upper back tightness.

Kris Dunn (ankle surgery), De’Andre Hunter (knee surgery) and Cam Reddish (Achilles soreness) remain out for Atlanta.

ACHIUWA’S STRONG RESPONSE

Heat rookie center Precious Achiuwa responded to his first DNP-CD (did not play, coach’s decision) with one of his best showings of the season.

Achiuwa recorded 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting, seven rebounds (four offensive rebounds), one steal and one block in 12 minutes off the bench in Sunday’s win over the Hawks. He did not play in Friday’s victory over the Jazz despite being available.

“That’s what we want,” Spoelstra said of Achiuwa’s performance on Sunday. “We don’t want him to pace. We want everybody to make the most of their minutes and you have to really make an impact. With him, these were short bursts of three or four minutes. So he really shouldn’t pace. He should be making multiple efforts like crazy while you’re trying to learn the league and learn our system.”

Achiuwa said he drew no particular motivation from not playing on Friday.

“I’m always motivated,” Achiuwa said. “I don’t need a certain situation to motivate me. I’m a very motivated person. Just given the things that I’ve been through, where I’m from and my background. I see no reason for me not to be motivated at all times.”

But Adebayo drew encouragement from Achiuwa’s response to Friday’s DNP-CD.

“I’m proud of my young fella. I call him my little brother for a reason,” Adebayo said. “That’s how it’s supposed to be. I walk off the court and he walks on, and it’s the same amount of energy and the same amount of intensity. He played to that level that I wanted him to play to tonight. I’m going to keep being in his ear and keep building. That’s what it’s all about.

“It’s kind of weird. We’re in this phase of [where] O.G. [Udonis Haslem] is kind of my vet and Precious’. But UD wants me to be his vet. So I don’t know how that works along the tree, but that’s kind of how it is.”

▪ Hawks guard Trae Young was limited to 15 points on 3-of-14 shooting on Sunday, with the Heat trapping him throughout the game and also mixing in a zone look. He’s averaging 26.5 points on 42.8 percent shooting this season.

“It was tricky tonight,” Young said Sunday of the Heat’s defense. “They have a bunch of different types of defenses that they switch to during the game. If you’re not aware of it or reading it, you can get out of character during the game.”

▪ Lloyd Pierce will not be the Hawks’ head coach in Tuesday’s game against the Heat. Atlanta, which is 14-20 this season, announced Monday that it fired Pierce.

Pierce went 63-120 in his two-plus seasons as the Hawks’ coach after he was hired in the 2018 offseason. It’s still unknown who will take over as Atlanta’s interim head coach.