LEXINGTON — It was clear from Kentucky guard Lamont Butler’s first shot attempt against Alabama that he was not fully healthy. Butler maneuvered his way into the lane, as he normally does, and threw up an air ball from about 5 feet away.
UK coach Mark Pope wasn’t even sure if Butler would be able to play after he injured his left shoulder in the second half of the Wildcats’ win over Texas A&M on Tuesday.
Butler did not participate in any contact plays in practice since the A&M game. Butler’s sign that gave Pope confidence that he would play against Bama came during the team’s breakfast, when he saw Butler “lift his arm a little bit.”
That’s the equivalent of breath if you can play.
At this juncture of the season, the Cats cannot win without him. The injury to Kerr Kriisa has left UK without an experienced backup point guard since early December. Freshman Travis Perry has shown signs of development, but it’s too incremental to start or play big minutes in anything more than an emergency situation.
So Butler played against the Crimson Tide with a strap on his shoulder under his jersey and undershirt. When Butler was out of the game, the athletics trainer covered Butler’s left shoulder with another brace that appeared to be one that heated and stimulated his muscles.
“Like I say every single time, whenever Lamont’s on the floor, I’m confident that he’s gonna give it his all and help us out and help us win big games,” said UK guard Otega Oweh, who scored a team-high 21 points. “Obviously he’s hurting, but he wanted to be out there.”
Butler finished with 17 points, eight assists and only one turnover. Although the No. 9 Cats came up short against the No. 5 Crimson Tide 102-97 on Saturday at Rupp Arena, Butler embodies what Pope is trying to instill in Lexington.
Butler is like the prototype of what kind of players Pope wants to build his rosters with and what can be expected of them once they arrive.
“I thought he gave a really heroic effort,” Pope said. “We need to get him healthy as quick as we can.”
What does a heroic effort look like?
Butler giving little regard to his shoulder, diving on the floor for loose balls.
Butler standing in to take a charge on 6-foot-11 forward Grant Nelson.
Butler recovering from getting bumped off a screen to block a Mark Sears’ 3-point attempt from the corner.
Butler not giving up on a play with Sears a step ahead and about to shoot a floater, by coming from behind for another block.
Butler coming through with a pump fake in the lane trailing 90-81, delivering a made layup and a three-point play when the Cats absolutely needed some offense.
Since SEC play began, Butler leads the Cats in average minutes at 32.5 per game. Despite his injury, he logged 32 minutes against the Tide in a game in which he might not have played if Kriisa were healthy.
But he couldn’t come out of the game too much, as Bama looked to exploit the matchup with whomever Perry was guarding. Alabama coach Nate Oats called those favorable matchups for his team “seals,” taking the term from Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla.
“We kept going at some of their seals, if you will,” Oats said.
Butler is nobody’s prey. But he is wounded entering UK’s week in the schedule without a weekday game. The Cats won’t return to action until Saturday’s trip to Vanderbilt. Pope is hopeful that time between games will be enough to help Butler get healthy again so he can go back to being a predator on the court.
