National Basketball Association

Jimmy Butler (calf) out of Bulls-Heat game

Published Apr. 9, 2015 7:36 p.m. ET

foxsports

MIAMI (AP) Chicago guard Jimmy Butler was ruled out of the Bulls' game at Miami on Thursday night with a left calf injury.

Butler is averaging 20.1 points this season for Chicago, which is still battling for the No. 3 seed behind Atlanta and Cleveland in the upcoming Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Bulls put Tony Snell in the starting lineup in Butler's place. Snell has started 21 other games this season for the Bulls, including each of the 11 games Butler missed last month with a sprained left elbow.

Derrick Rose was available again for Chicago, with coach Tom Thibodeau saying he expected the former MVP to log about 20 minutes against the Heat.