Jimmy Butler’s Return Ends in Defeat as Heat Outplay Warriors

MIAMI- Jimmy Butler III took a seat on the Warriors’ bench and watched over the next approximately 40 seconds as the big screen above his head aired a highlight reel of Butler’s greatest moments in Miami Heat history.

Butler witnessed the montage, which included such memorable moments as the iconic hunched-over and exhausted Butler from the 2020 NBA Finals, as well as great plays from other highlights during Butler’s five-plus years with the Heat organization.

Soon after the end of the video, Butler was called out as the last Warrior in the starting lineup by the Miami public address announcer. Upon hearing his name, Butler raised both hands skyward to salute the crowd for the cheers given to him.

Miami Heat’s Dominant Performance:

The Heat, nonetheless, laid a 112-86 loss upon the Warriors, deprived as they were of the service of star Stephen Curry before a crowd packed to the rafters of 19,897.

“I got a lot of love in the city for the fan base here,” said Butler. “The video was nice. I won’t say that there were a lot of emotions, though. I think I came into this level-headed. We wanted to win the game; it didn’t go our way. We’ll be alright.

“…I mean, it took me back to some good times as a Miami Heat jersey. Forever thankful for those times to help me to be the player that I am, the person I am in this league, a teammate, a leader, all those things. But I don’t think I could’ve been who I am today without my opportunity here.”

Key Highlights of the Game

Butler, booed throughout most of the game any time he touched the ball, missed 5 of his first 6 shots before finishing with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. All of Miami’s starting five managed to score in double figures, led by Bam Adebayo’s 27 points and 8 rebounds.

With regard to Butler’s return, “I didn’t know what was happening pregame because there was a video with no sound,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said when asked about the atmosphere being so revved up. “I was wondering what was happening. Miami, great place to settle and live in, so people never seem too amped up around here. They’re living a good life. So it really wasn’t that rabid of an environment.

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“It was just typical Miami, really, with the main part of Jimmy’s return being the Heat were ready and Erik Spoelstra had them prepared. You shoot 17-for-25 from three; you are going to win. But I thought it was how hard they played, how well they competed. They took it to us tonight.”

Playoff Implications for the Heat

• The road trip has already started in two consecutive losses by the Warriors-at Atlanta and Miami. Curry missed both games with a pelvic contusion, although Kerr said that he expected his franchise star to play in the next game on Friday at New Orleans.

“We’re living, we are in the fight and we got 10 games to go and I can’t wait,” said Kerr, whose Warriors are clinging to the sixth playoff seed in the Western Conference, ahead of the LA Clippers by a half-game. “I think Friday’s the biggest game of the year for us. We’ve lost two games in a row, very poor performances. It’s time, and we got to bounce back, and that’s what good teams do, and I’m confident that we’ll do that.”

Butler wanted his return to Miami to be the one where he wins. He did run into a few people at the Heat, like former teammate Kevin Love, but said the chapter with the Heat was over.

Warriors’ Struggles Continue

The Heat traded Butler to the Warriors before the trading deadline after the All-Star expressed his desire to be traded. Apart from wanting a contract extension, Butler even declared that he was not having fun anymore at work, which triggered the deterioration of his partnership. Several times, Miami suspended him for various offenses before finally trading him.

“Butler quoted into 2-year, $111 million extension when traded to the Warriors and kept saying how his joy is back with the team and how much he feels wanted from the team.”

He spent the last couple of days in Miami visiting his coffee shop, playing dominoes with friends, and most important, spending time with his family and kids.

“It’s a chapter closed,” he said of his time with the Heat. “What I’m going to say is I’m always going to be grateful for the time here, the relationships I built here, and when you look down the road, it’s just a massive chunk of my career.”

“I continue to say I’m very thankful,” continued Butler. “I’m not bitter toward anybody. Always grateful for the opportunity. A lot of the fan base. . . . It’s not bad. It’s not all bad.”

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