MIAMI – Jimmy Butler was back in the mix for the Miami Heat in Saturday’s Game 3 of their best-of-seven NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New York Knicks.

After injuring his ankle midway through the fourth quarter of the Heat’s Game 1 victory last Sunday at Madison Square Garden and playing through to the finish, Butler sat out the Heat’s Tuesday night Game 2 loss on the Knicks’ court.

Following round-the-clock treatment and additional shooting sessions, Butler formally was announced as being available an hour before Saturday’s opening tip at Kaseya Center.

Caleb Martin had started in place of Butler in Game 2.

With Butler back, the Heat returned to a starting lineup of Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kevin Love, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent, with Martin returning to the reserve rotation.

With Butler back, New York coach Tom Thibodeau was asked whether there was a particular element that the Knicks again would try to take away after Butler closed with 25 points in Game 1.

“I think that’s one thing that makes him so tough, that it’s so many different things, whether you’re talking about handling in a pick-and-roll, screening in a pick-and-roll, running the offense, getting to the free-throw line, can post-up, shot creation, and having an awareness of what’s going on in the game,” Thibodeau said. “Those have always been his strength. And so is body position; he’s clever with the ball.

“So you try to make a guy like that work as much as you can for his points. But it’s a lot more than just points. We know that that’s the test that we face.”

Martin perseveres

While the primary concern Saturday was Butler’s right ankle, Martin pushed through the back contusion that had him also listed as questionable earlier Saturday.

“He’s such a competitor,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said pregame. “He doesn’t want to miss time. And he doesn’t have an off button – except for like off the court, he’s pretty chill. It’s a pretty nice balance he has there.

“But once he steps in between those four lines, he’s a savage competitor. That’s what we love about him. He makes big plays, particularly when you least expect it. And that’s what competitors do.”

Martin was injured late in Game 2 when he dove for a ball near the Heat bench.

“In turns of putting his body in front of harm’s way,” Spoelsta said,  “he does that to try to help the team win. And he’s had to defend a lot of bigger players this year, and he’s not shied away from any of those challenges.”

In addition to Martin, forward Haywood Highsmith was cleared pregame. He had been listed as probable with recurrent knee tendinitis.

The Heat were without 42-year-old team captain Udonis Haslem due to a stomach illness. Haslem has not played in this series. His lone postseason action has been two minutes in the Game 3 home blowout victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.

The Heat remain without guards Tyler Herro (hand) and Victor Oladipo (knee) following recent surgeries.

Road disparity

After going 23-18 at home and 24-17 on the road during the regular season, the Knicks entered the first of these two games at Kaseya Center 2-1 on the road during the postseason.

Thibdeau, during his pregame media session, downplayed the unlikely degree of road success.

“I think it’s a combination of a lot of things,” Thibodeau said. “Sometimes where you are in the regular season, your schedule dictates certain things.

“There’s a lot of factors that go into it during the regular season.”