Jimmy Butler is everywhere these days.

There he is at the US Open, serving as an honorary ball boy for an exhibition match between Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe. There he is in the new music video for Fall Out Boy’s “So Much (For) Stardust,” sporting his now-legendary “Emo Jimmy” look. There he is in ads for Hulu, Alo, State Farm and Hotels.com. There he is sampling products for BIGFACE, his budding coffee brand, and at the first-ever Reserve Cup, a padel competition that he helped bring to Miami. There he is at the Kaseya Center, soaring for lobs and knocking down threes.

And here he is at ZZ’s Club Miami, singing and dancing along to Lloyd’s “You,” breathing energy into the club’s swanky sports bar. He is, after all, five cups of coffee in, and it’s just 2:30 p.m. (he drinks 10-12 cups a day, by the way). A wide-ranging playlist booms through a handheld speaker—everything from “Let Me Love You” by Mario to “Jamming” by Bob Marley & the Wailers to “Loop Hole” by Tee Grizzley featuring 21 Savage. In between posing for photos, the Heat star snacks on sushi and sips an old fashioned.

Welcome to Jimmy Butler’s SLAM cover shoot, and welcome, more broadly, to his ever-growing universe, where you’re invited—err, encouraged—to be your authentic self at all times. To follow whatever passions you may have.

SLAM 249 featuring Jimmy Butler is available now. Shop here.

Butler is a man of many interests: coffee, wine, country music, tennis, padel, soccer (which he calls football), dominoes, spades, UNO, traveling—the list goes on. He is always up to something, always surrounded by family and friends. His house in Miami doesn’t even have TVs. Instead of binge-watching shows, Butler does things like chase tennis balls around Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, NY, because, well, it’s fun and he felt like doing it. He is currently working on his own country album; right now, it features 62 songs (!) and Butler, who has played a DJ Khaled-like role, is debating whether to hop on one.

“He loves to get into a whole bunch of stuff that you wouldn’t think he would enjoy doing,” says Butler’s teammate Caleb Martin. “He’s just super active, man, whether he’s doing something on an off day or meeting up with certain types of artists or playing dominoes or going to tennis matches. He’s definitely a dude full of surprises.”

Surprises like…starring in that aforementioned Fall Out Boy video in an all-purple cowboy outfit. 

“Anything to shake up anything on the internet and continually be myself, be happy and love my life and what I’m doing, I’m down,” Butler says. The video was shot over All-Star break and it dropped less than two weeks later. And yes, it shook up the internet.

Butler strikes a difficult balance: he doesn’t take life too seriously, but he is also extremely competitive. He cracks jokes, but often leaves people wondering…was that really a joke? 

“Don’t be fooled because you see me on TV or a commercial or a billboard, I do a lot of the same stuff y’all do,” he says, before adding with a grin, “I’m probably just better at it than all y’all…but I can’t help that.”

The truth (and irony) is, Butler engages in many extracurricular activities, such as tennis and songwriting, “to humble” himself. He wants to experience firsthand the challenges of other professions. Of course, he is also certain that if he keeps working at something, he will excel at it. He has a burning desire to be the best at everything he does. 

To win at everything he does. 

Take spades, for example. The Heat like to play on the team plane during long road trips. “When I say he does not lose, he does not lose,” forward Jamal Cain says. “Me and Haywood Highsmith beat him once and he was kind of shitty after that. I kind of saw it in his face. He’s very competitive. He does not like to lose.”

Or take dominoes, which might be the game Jimmy is best at (including the one he’s famous for). “He’s a top-five, top-10 dominoes player in the world,” claims Chris Brickley, Butler’s trainer. “I know this because he and [Colombian singer] J Balvin have flown in the top dominoes players in the world, like, world champions. And he’s beat them.”

“That’s some Jimmy shit,” Martin remarks with a laugh. He and his twin brother, Cody, are a rare duo that have actually beat Jimmy in dominoes. “And we ain’t played since,” Martin says. “On and off the court, he doesn’t like to lose. He’s ducking me, for sure. Ever since we played him, he tells me and my brother, ‘Y’all are The Funky Brothers.’ Me and Cody play funky, so it messes him up.”

Butler brings that same competitive mindset to his brand, BIGFACE, which he is very dedicated to building. Along with the BIGFACE team, he has visited Colombia and Ecuador on a quest to find the best coffee. He is even trying to master latte art and how to make the perfect cappuccino. 

“People can see this on the court as well—his dedication to something and to knowing everything there is to know about it translates from basketball to coffee,” says Britt Berg, Chief Operating Officer at BIGFACE. She and Butler text about coffee almost every day. 

BIGFACE is set to open its first brick-and-mortar shop in Miami later this year, a milestone that Jimmy is eagerly awaiting. “When I’m not practicing, when I’m not with my kids, when I’m not in a game, I can tell you where I’m gonna be, and that’s in this coffee shop, meeting all the fans of myself and of coffee,” he says. “Because I do love coffee, I do want to bring the best coffee to Miami. I don’t think there’s a spot like that here yet, and I want the first BIGFACE café to be that, so that’s where I’m gonna be. And we need that. Miami needs that…along with a championship!”

Ah, yes. We should probably talk a bit about basketball. It’s mid-March when we shoot this cover—or, as Butler calls it, “that time.”

Allow him to elaborate: “It’s the time where people really gotta think about going up against the Miami Heat and myself. I know what I’m capable of. I know what my squad is capable of. And don’t nobody want to see us in a seven-game series anyways. We know that.”

We do.

Miami finished eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 46-36 record. But, then again, the Heat entered last year’s playoffs as the No. 8 seed before going on an epic run to the Finals. In 2019-20, the League’s bubble season, Miami reached the Finals as the No. 5 seed.

“Nobody can tell you anything right now,” Jimmy says. “There are three things that you gotta have in order to win a championship: you’ve gotta be playing your best basketball at the right time, you gotta be healthy, and you gotta be lucky. That’s just the way that it is. So can’t nobody tell right now who’s going to have all three of those things.”

Butler quietly had another stellar year, posting 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game and shooting a career-high 41.4 percent from behind the arc. Don’t expect him to be launching more threes in the postseason, though. “I just don’t like shooting threes because I want to run into you,” he says. “I want to hit somebody. You can’t hit nobody if you shoot threes. I want to see who’s going to quit first. I’m gonna keep running in there, I’m gonna hit you, and I’m gonna hit you again, and I’m gonna hit you again, and we’re gonna see who’s gonna quit.”

That sounds like something the fabled and fearless “Playoff Jimmy” would say, doesn’t it? Only thing is, Butler continues to deny that Playoff Jimmy exists. 

“That’s not a thing for the hundredth time,” he insists. “Playoff Jimmy is not a thing. Emo Jimmy, thing. Football Jimmy, thing. Tennis Jimmy, thing. Daddy Jimmy, thing. Zaddy Jimmy, thing. But Playoff Jimmy, not so much.”

OK, fair enough. But worth noting: over a four-season stretch, Butler has led Miami to the Eastern Conference Finals three times and to the Finals twice, averaging 24.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.9 steals through 64 playoff games. During the 2020 Finals, he registered two triple-doubles, including just the third 40-point triple-double in Finals history. In Game 6 of the 2022 ECF, he hung 47 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals on the Celtics to force a Game 7 (one of four 40-plus-point performances he had that postseason). He set a franchise playoff record with 56 points in Game 4 of last season’s first-round series against the top-seeded Bucks, then followed it up with 42 points in Game 5 as his team pulled off one of the biggest upsets ever. 

Butler will admit that things “ramp up a notch” this time of year. Amid the last few weeks of the regular season and into the playoffs, he and Brickley start working out the night before every single game. They study the defense Miami is about to face and try to replicate the exact situations Butler will find himself in. What spots on the floor will be open? What shots will be available? What switches might occur? Butler’s basketball IQ is “probably the highest IQ out of any player I’ve worked with,” says Brickley.

Martin, who has been with the Heat since 2021, notices a “mental shift” in Jimmy as the playoffs loom. “I think him having the experience of going through this phase so many times, he knows how to time stuff up with his body, and then [there’s] the mental part of it, too, him just being so steady mentally,” Martin explains. “He’s very strategic. He knows when it’s time to ramp up. He knows what games probably hurt more than others or whatever the case is. Everything he does, he thinks about.”

The added reps in the gym help, as does Butler’s very calculated approach. But if there’s one reason to believe Playoff Jimmy is real, and that other teams should fear his impending arrival, it’s this: Jimmy Butler is fully confident in who he is and what he’s capable of. There’s a comfort in that, a peace. Any feelings of self-doubt and pressure are gone. He doesn’t care one bit what others think about him—what others predict he and his team will or won’t do.

That type of confidence has a way of rubbing off on the people around him: friends, colleagues, teammates. 

“When you have a leader like that, it gives you a sense of confidence in your abilities and what you’re doing,” says Berg.

“The first thing I noticed with Jimmy, he’s very comfortable being in his skin. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks about him,” Cain adds. “Seeing how he carried himself and how confident and comfortable he was in his skin only made me more comfortable being who I am.”

Cain remembers one game day when he and other members of the Heat huddled up to pray before taking the court, as was their ritual, and requested that Jimmy turn down the music he was blasting. “Y’all need to be praying to me!” Butler responded. “He said it in a joking manner, but just the fact that that was the first thing on his mind, I was like, Wow, this is Jimmy in a nutshell,” Cain recalls with a chuckle.

It’s no coincidence that Butler describes the Heat as being “overly confident in a good way.” In large part, that identity stems from him. Despite the ups and downs of the regular season, Butler has no doubt that his team has what it takes to make another deep playoff run. 

Why? 

“We just have a different way of going about things,” he says. “Our coaching staff cares and they’re constantly studying how we can make everybody on our roster stick to their strong suits and stay away from the weak points of their games. Ownership cares—they’re at every practice, they’re on the plane. We’re talking to one another. We really fuck with one another, which is a good thing. And, um…” 

He pauses for a moment and flashes a sly smile. 

“I’m on the team. So, I’m taking my chances every time.” 

Portraits by Alex Subers

The post The Undeniable Realness of Jimmy Butler: Heat Star Talks Leadership, Staying True and the Playoffs appeared first on SLAM.

Let’s take it back to ‘06. Long before he became a six-time NBA All-Star, Jimmy Butler was dropping buckets as a senior at Tomball High School in Texas, where he averaged 19.9 points and served as team captain. Still, he was considered a two-star recruit, and went on to play at Tyler Community College before catching the attention of Marquette. 

The story goes that the same young player who once was overlooked emerged into a college standout, and is now one of the most dominant players in the League. Butler wears that on his sleeve through his gritty playing style and his unwavering confidence, and quite literally: the Miami Heat superstar has rocked personal and custom-made high school and college varsity jackets inside arena tunnels throughout the season. 

While the apparel is personal to Butler—his Tomball varsity jacket even features a captain patch as well as the year 2007 and his jersey number—he’s teamed up with TOP DRWR, an innovative platform that’s the premier destination for all things high end fashion, to bring a unique experience to NBA fans and style icons.

TOP DRWR, which was co-founded by one of the illest artists in the game, French Montana, is now offering their first unveiling which includes an auction of ten items from Butler’s personal closet, including both varsity jackets, a pair of Jordans and more.

Done in partnership with The Shop Miami, all of the items have been curated by longtime stylists Calyann Barnett and Khalilah Beavers. Barnett, who has worked with everyone around the game including Dwyane Wade, is one of the most innovative visionaries in the NBA fashion world. Then there’s Khalilah Beavers, who has styled everyone from Butler to Carmelo Anthony to Jimmy Butler, and has redefined the style across the League through her work. 

The first auction is available at www.topdrwr.io and will close on Thursday, August 31, 2023. A portion of the proceeds from TOP DRWR’s initial auctions will be donated to the Social Change Fund United to support important issues impacting the Black community. 

To get a better sense of what kind of heat TOP DRWR offers, look no further than their vast collection of apparel, sneakers and luxury accessories from designers including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Fendi, Versace, Fear of God, Off White, and Rolex. You don’t have to be a 6-7 NBA All-Star to show out like you’re in the tunnel or on LeagueFits—but thanks to TOP DRWR, you can look like one. 

Don’t just cop clothes, cop pieces. Sign up here. 

The post Inside Jimmy Butler’s Closet: TOP DRWR is Auctioning the Superstar’s Varsity Jackets, Sneakers and More appeared first on SLAM.

The six-time All-Star expressed how he was grateful that the NBA at least sent Miami to play in Mexico this year since they are not getting any nationally televised games.

“I don’t feel like the NBA rock with the Miami Heat too much anyway,” Butler said per Heat Nation. “At least we get to play somewhere. We don’t got no TV games or nothing.”

The Miami Heat finished the 2021-22 campaign with an Eastern Conference-best 53-29 record. Although Miami was last year’s top seed in the East, the Heat weren’t even in the top 10 for most games televised on the major networks. Surprisingly, teams who were missing key pieces for most of the season, like the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers, had more nationally televised games.

Earlier in December, Heat center Bam Adebayo also chimed in on Miami not getting enough media attention.

“You’ve got to think about: we were No. 1 in the East and people didn’t even pay us any mind,” Adebayo said. “Us being where we’re at, they’re definitely not talking about us. The biggest thing for us is to keep stacking these wins.”

The post Jimmy Butler Finds Motivation in Miami Playing Zero National TV Games appeared first on SLAM.

There’s not much to be proud of in their 12-14 record, but the superstardom of Bam Adebayo has finally blossomed, and it’s greatly benefited, Jimmy Butler.

His aggressiveness has been on display, especially in the last six games. The Kentucky product has scored 18.3 points per game in the second half, which is second-best among centers behind Los Angeles Laker superstar Anthony Davis.

Bam keeps getting the job done by any means necessary pic.twitter.com/HIbWrG5Kdk

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 9, 2022

After a tight battle last night against the Los Angeles Clippers, Adebayo (31) and Butler (26) combined for 57 points while showing efficient shooting from inside the three-point line. Even with Adebayo’s point total and improvement in the second half, the center wanted Butler to score the team’s last eight clutch points, which he delivered.

“The ball finds the right places,” Adebayo said, according to Sports Illustrated. “Jimmy had the hot hand. He scored our last eight, and that’s what he does. At the end of the game, if he wants to keep doing, I’m fine with that. I have no problem with him shooting step-back, one-footers.”

JB with a game on the line is just different… the Clippers were the latest to find out. #ClutchJimmy

Popular Moment of the Week // @popularbank pic.twitter.com/Zil4anyaCW

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 9, 2022

The number one option is expected to deliver in crunch time, no matter the circumstance. In his return from a nearly two-week absence, Butler knocked down a stunning fadeaway blow a week ago against the Boston Celtics to steal a victory at TD Garden.

Adebayo quietly recorded 28 points in that same outing and collected seven boards, forcing the Celtics to account for two of the Heat’s superstars.

The tear Adebayo is on right now has made Butler’s job easier. With Adebayo drawing much more attention, the closing minutes rely on no. 22 to take on isolation assignments in which he’s so potent. Another Adebayo eruption with a closing call from Butler is in the possibilities Saturday night as the San Antonio Spurs come into town.

The post Bam Adebayo Has ‘No Problem’ with Jimmy Butler Closing Games Out appeared first on SLAM.

The aggressive play of star center Bam Adebayo and the leadership of Kyle Lowry have brought the team to four victories in their last five games, with the most notable one being this past Friday against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.

A game that featured the return of Miami superstar Jimmy Butler saw the forward shatter the hearts of the 19-5 Celtics by hitting one clutch shot after another. After the game, he posed high confidence in the Heat and its resiliency in tight situations but most notably made a promise to team President and all-time NBA legend Pat Riley, as he hopes this season shapes up to be Riley’s 10th championship run.

“When you’re talking about the Heat,” Butler said. “Deep run into the playoffs, championship caliber, that’s the second two is about. You put the two together, Pat Riley; we’re getting your 10th championship.”

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A post shared by Jimmy Butler (@jimmybutler)

Butler came within reach of Riley’s 10th title on two separate occasions, as in the 2020 NBA Finals, the Heat came up short against the Los Angeles Lakers, losing the series 4-2. Last season, the Heat were once again in the Eastern Conference Finals against the rivaled Celtics, and in Game 7, Butler missed a critical go-ahead three-point shot in the final 18 seconds to give Boston the opportunity to ice the game and move on to the championship series against the Golden State Warriors.

Though the Heat hasn’t looked themselves this season, when Butler is on the court, his elite level of play places him in the upper echelon of star players across the League. He’s currently averaging 21.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals.

The Heat Culture embodies a ‘bounce back’ mentality through their grit and determination on the floor, and Butler has certainly embraced it. However, at 33-years-old, time is certainly closing on him to achieve the dream of winning a championship.

Butler is capable of taking on the challenge on his own, but basketball is a team game, and Heat fans know that if a championship comes to South Beach, it’ll have to be a high-level team effort.

“We’re still going to win the championship, and I don’t care what nobody says,” Butler said on the early struggle of the Heat. “Count us out. We’re going to win the f—— championship. I’m telling you.”

The post Jimmy Butler to Pat Riley: ‘We’re Getting Your 10th Championship’ appeared first on SLAM.

Butler averaged 25.6 points per game in that series while shooting 47 percent from the field. Butler was clearly on a whole other level in that series, including a 47-point Game 6 performance in TD Garden to force a Game 7 back in Miami.

The Heat and Celtics have matched up in the playoffs twice in the past two years, with Miami getting the best of Boston in 2019-2020 and Boston beating the Heat last year.

So far this year, the Heat (10-12) haven’t looked like themselves, as they currently sit in 11th place in the East. On the flip side, you look at the Boston Celtics, which seem to be clicking on all cylinders. They sit in first place in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 18-4 and are winners of their last five straight games.

The two teams recently played an exhibition together this past Wednesday, but the undermanned Heat was no match for the healthy Celtics and ended up losing 134-121. Celtics star Jayson Tatum went off for a season-high 49 points as well.

Butler took to his Instagram story yesterday with a little hype-up video giving Heat fans hope and Celtics fans flashbacks to last year, saying he is “on the way.” Hopefully, Butler’s return helps to change the course of this Heat team’s record and shifts the momentum to a positive one going into the All-Star break.

We’ll have to wait and see if the Heat can start the month of December off strong.

The post Jimmy Butler’s Message to Boston Ahead of Friday Matchup: ‘I’m On the Way’ appeared first on SLAM.

With three of the four losses coming down to the wire, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra feels the quality of his star players on the court, can set a difference in a short amount of minutes.

“At some point, hopefully, we’ll be getting some guys back,” Spoelstra said per Sports Illustrated. “Even if they’re not fully 100 percent, even if they’re close enough, maybe they can give us a little bit of reinforcement, even if it’s just short minutes. That’s where we are right now.”

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The Heat is dealing with a loss of their defensive identity in just one season. They were one of the best defensive teams last season; now, the Heat are currently tied for 14th in the League with the Atlanta Hawks, who both hold a 111.1 defensive rating. They average the second lowest blocks, even with the 16 out of the 18 games Adebayo has played.

Kyle Lowry isn’t the same focal point of an offense as he once was, but he has kept the Heat within reach in the last four games while averaging 18.3 points and 7.3 assists. The resurgence of Lowry is encouraging, considering his struggling performance in last year’s playoffs, but it’ll have to remain once Butler returns and looks to reclaim his spot as Miami’s top scorer.

“Just give us whatever you have,” Spoelstra said. “Whatever you have, just give us. If you’re used to playing 30 minutes, just give us 15. If you’re used to playing 20 minutes, give us eight, so we can kind of manage things right now.”

For now, the Heat remains without several of their former All-Stars, and it may stay that way for the time coming. Questions are piling up, and a fired-up Spoelstra may be the finishing touch to what has been a roller-coaster season for South Beach.

The post Head Coach Erik Spoelstra Awaits The Return Of Star Players appeared first on SLAM.

It wasn’t the prettiest of victories to their now three-game win streak, as the Suns held a 13 point-advantage at one point, but the dominance of Bam Adebayo showed up at the perfect time in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 of his 30 points.

His two-way play seems to be pushing the team in the right direction, as his screens and playmaking are getting Caleb Martin and Kyle Lowry in much needed rhythm.

After the game, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke on the value Adebayo provides on both sides of the ball and how his responsibilities can benefit the rest of the team.

“He’s such a winner. He’s an absolute winner,” said Spoelstra. “He can morph into so many different roles for us where he makes it look so much easier to the average fan – everybody just wants him to score 40.”

Adebayo had been off to a slow start for the first seven games of the season, resulting in the Heat winning just two games in October. Now, winners of five of their seven games in November, Adebayo has jumped his averages to 20.7 points per game, 10.3 rebounds, and 40 assists per game on 52.7 percent shooting from the field.

The Heat is doing better once Adebayo takes over a game, but as co-star Jimmy Butler mentioned last week, Miami’s defense is “not where it needs to be.”

With a 111.8 defensive rating, the Heat are 17th in the League in that category, a major drop from their fourth-best rating last season. However, the team is third in the League in points allowed in the paint (44.7), courtesy of Adebayo’s anchoring down inside.

“Understanding how to read defenses and what’s necessary for this team,” said Spoelstra on Adebayo. “when to be assertive, when to create for others, when to set screens for guys, look, I’ve never coached really somebody where there’s been so many different responsibilities,”

Spoelstra has taken leadership over legends like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and of course, Butler, the current face of the team. Encouraging words like the one Spoelstra said on Adebayo should factor into how confident the big man plays the rest of the year.

The post Erik Spoelstra: Bam Adebayo ‘Can Morph into Many Different Roles’ appeared first on SLAM.

The team comes off a 117-112 overtime victory over the Charlotte Hornets Thursday night. In a game that featured the Heat forcing 20 turnovers, nine of them steals, the team just could not put away the Hornets in the regular period, even when their lead was as big as 15.

“Not where we need it to be,” Butler said on the state of the Heat’s defense, per Sports Illustrated. “It’s not all bad, but there are a lot of mistakes, miscommunication, not getting back easily correctable stuff. Hopefully, we start doing that pretty soon and stacking some Ws because we’re in dire need of some wins.”

35 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists last night… and his teammates appreciated every bit of it. #HEATCulture

Popular Moment of the Week // @popularbank pic.twitter.com/Dptz8fiddc

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) November 11, 2022

Their 110.8 defensive rating puts the Heat near the middle of the pack across the League. It’s not a dramatic drop, but the team did have a 108.4 defensive rating last season, fourth-best behind the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, and Boston Celtics.

The Heat was defeated at the buzzer against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, a game where the Heat also had a chance to run away with a sizable victory.

Butler had 16 points to go along with six steals, but leaving Blazers guard Josh Hart open at the corner three-point line left the FTX Arena stunned as he knocked in the winning trey.

HART FOR THE WIN #RipCity | @joshhart pic.twitter.com/kTTLL5dcam

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) November 8, 2022

Though they’ve managed to give up close ones, the Heat seems to be finding their defensive approach to avoid living in those late-game circumstances, according to head coach Erik Spoelstra.

“It’s part of our identity that we really need to be disruptive and get teams out their comfort zone in a lot of different ways, which requires a big energy and focus commitment,” Spoelstra said. “To be able to be active, get our hands on balls, deny passes, play multiple schemes, that’s our lifeblood defensively.” 

The Heat have a chance to prove they’re back to their pesky defensive habits again against the Hornets tomorrow night.

The post Jimmy Butler Says the Miami Heat Defense is ‘Not Where it Needs to Be’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Heat seemed like the clear landing spot for Mitchell as NBA fans believed they had enough assets to send the Utah Jazz in exchange for the shooting guard. A deal like that would have pushed the Heat toward favorited championship odds, especially considering Mitchell and Adebayo’s chemistry at the Miami Pro League over the summer. Mitchell and Adebayo were also seen working out with one another throughout the offseason

“I said this to somebody, I was like, ‘Man, I’m working out with Bam [Adebayo] and others, and I’m thinking like, ‘This is just preparing. This is what it’s going to look like.'” Mitchell said on J.J Redick’s “Old Man and the Three Podcast.”

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A post shared by 13am Adebayo (@bam1of1)

Adebayo wasn’t the only player in the Heat roster that would spark rumors of Mitchell joining the Heat. Jimmy Butler had spent the second week of his off-season with Mitchell at a restaurant in Miami for basketball media influencer Chris Brickley’s birthday

In that same late June period, rival Kevin Durant had requested a trade from his team and the NBA world believed Heat President Pat Riley would pull the trigger for the future Hall of Famer.

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A post shared by Chris Joseph Brickley (@cbrickley603)

The Heat ended up standing pat during the off-season, but they extended Tyler Herro to a four-year deal worth $130 million. Though securing the young star bodes well for the Heat, the East has gotten much more competitive, especially with Mitchell making the Cavs a potential top-five seed in the conference.

Cleaveland’s future success rides on the play of Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley in order to consider the Cavs the winners of the trade. As for Miami, the team’s lack of trades and signings puts pressure on them to succeed at the same rate they did last season. If this season goes any worse, the question arises of why the Heat didn’t make the effort of making the Butler, Adebayo, and Mitchell big three.

The post Donovan Mitchell Touches On Working Out With Bam Adebayo Over the Summer appeared first on SLAM.

The second-year man had the opportunity to fill in a roster spot last season, but he suffered a similar injury to the one he’s dealing with now. Although Garrett’s chances of filling the Heat roster spot have slimmed, Coach Erik Spoelstra offered an optimistic outlook to Garrett for when his time will come.

“This is the journey for young players sometimes,” said Spoelstra. “Sometimes you just can’t predict it. Sometimes it doesn’t go how you want it to. But he has that perseverance and grit to get healthy and get back at it.”

As demoralizing as the injury is, Spoelstra doesn’t rule out the possibility of Garrett making the roster. He, and small forward Jamal Cain, have put in extensive hours during practice and proved their worth on the court, making effort plays.

Recent Undrafted players for the Heat, like Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, and Gabe Vincent, had made their impact offensively when the team needed it most. In Garrett’s case, his defensive tenacity during the Summer League put Miami’s front office on notice, leading to his second two-way deal with the South Beach franchise.

“We’re all here getting at it every day,” says Jimmy Butler on the significance of pre-season games. “Whenever you get in the game, I think that’s the easy part. You just need to maintain your conditioning and then make sure you’re in a rhythm.”

Garrett may not be involved in the rotation or even be on the roster to start the season, but his determination has earned the locker room’s respect, and he now presents himself as a ‘Next Man Up’ target.

The Heat opens its 2022-2023 season at FTX Arena against their Eastern Conference rivals, the Chicago Bulls.

The post Marcus Garrett Set to Miss Final Preseason Stretch After Suffering a Wrist Fracture appeared first on SLAM.

Preparation Award: LeBron James 

LeBron is LeBron because of his insane work ethic. This summer, if a workout was scheduled for 10 AM, LBJ would walk in early at 9:15 AM. He’d then do a workout routine that included stretching, balance, and core for about 40 minutes. Once he was done with that, he’d go back to his post workout routine—stretching, some cool down and then balance exercises. For a player going into his 20th season, his body sure doesn’t look like it but he moves on the court like he’s 31, not 37.

Early Bird Award: Jimmy Butler 

Jimmy and I travelled the world this summer. From time zone to time zone, we worked out in New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Miami, the Hamptons, Switzerland, Paris…the list goes on. No matter where we were, we would always start our workouts at 6 AM—I’m not going to lie, but sometimes, depending on the time, I would be super tired when my alarm rang at 5 in the morning. But it was always a great feeling to be done with his first workout by 7:30 AM. In Europe, we even did double sessions. Jimmy had a great summer and I’m excited for him to show off his work this season. 

Biggest Black Ops Surprise (Non-NBA Player): Ian Jackson 

Over the years, I’ve had many elite high school players play in the summer Black Ops Runs: Donovan Mitchell, Obi Toppin, Cole Anthony, Adrian Griffin to name a few. But no high school player had a summer like Cardinal Hayes’ Ian Jackson. His first Black Ops Run was a learning lesson—the pace of the game was very fast for him and he struggled. However, he did come back the next day and played great and had eight threes and a series of nice dunks and passes. After that day, he was comfortable and he surprised NBA players all summer.

The Record Holder: CJ McCollum

There are a few drills each summer that I keep track of, specifically the player shooting 50 threes off the dribble or 100 threes off of the move. Well, CJ McCollum holds the record in almost all of them. He has an incredible work ethic and a very consistent jump shot. He made 92 out of 100 threes in one of the drills and also broke a few other records. 

Viral Sneaker Moment: LeBron James 

LeBron came to a workout one time with a light brown box in his hand. But there was no writing on the box. It wasn’t until after he did his pre-workout stretching routine that he laced up his sneakers and revealed that they were the LeBron 20s. It was the first time anyone had seen them. Within minutes of me posting a picture of them, the photo was everywhere and the top story on every sneaker blog across the world. Definitely a special moment. 

Breakout Season: Dre Hunter 

Dre Hunter worked out with me for the first time this summer and he was hungry! He learned very quickly and always pushed himself. I was very impressed with his professionalism and his skill level, too, and I think this year will be a huge year for Dre. 

Best 1 Day Performance in a Black Ops Run: Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown came to NYC during Fashion Week and pulled up to a Black Ops run. He dominated the run offensively and defensively, even hitting a series of game winners. He couldn’t be stopped and the entire gym saw how talented he was that day. On top of dominating the game, he had asked me to put Ian Jackson on his team so he could mentor him. He’s truly a great leader. 

What People Don’t Know: Drake’s Jumpshot

Everyone knows about Drake’s new gym at his house in Toronto but not everyone knows about how he’s improved his jumpshot. His form looked completely different from when I saw him last—he even played in a run at the Summit and hit 13 threes. The video went viral. 

Most Focused: Ty Jerome 

Ty Jerome’s work ethic this summer was on 1,000. He came to the gym all summer long to workout; he would jump into others players workouts to learn and he really improved. Every player that came to the gym consistently improved their games but Ty improved the most. I’m excited that he has landed on the Warriors. I think that’s a great fit for him. 

Efficiency Award: Kevin Love 

Kevin Love had a very productive offseason. Coming off of getting runner up for Sixth Man of the Year, he had an extra pep in his step this summer. We would shoot 100 threes after each workout and Kev would never get below 75; he’d average between 80 and 85. That is what I call efficient shooting. 

Best Conditioned: Julius Randle 

By the end of the offseason, Julius would come to the gym and workout for 90 minutes straight with no water break and free throws. He would ask me to push him as much as possible and most of the drills would be full court, too. He has to be one of the best conditioned athletes in all of the NBA. 

Biggest Surprise in a Black Ops Run: Paolo Banchero

Paolo came to a run after he was drafted No. 1 and people didn’t know what to expect at first. Well, when they left that day, they knew that Paolo was going to be a very special player. He scored in a number of ways: slashing to the hoop, mid post, offensive rebounds and threes. Funny part about his performance was that after the first game, I went up to him and said, “Can you please be aggressive!” He definitely listened and after a slow start, he stringed off about eight great games. 

Viral Moment: Donovan Mitchell’s Dunk

The angle of the video did not do the dunk justice, but when Donovan blew by his opponent and raised up for a two-hand dunk, he dunked it so hard that the entire backboard shifted. We had to stop the game and shift it back into center. The video went viral and the funny part was that one of the players had yelled out to Paolo Banchero, “Welcome to the NBA.” Unfortunately, Paolo was the one Donovan had blown by.

King of the Hill Award: Kevin Porter Jr.

During the course of the summer, one of my favorite things to do is have the players play 1-on-1. Kevin Porter Jr. was unstoppable in that setting and it didn’t matter if there was a three dribble limit or a single dribble limit. Kevin won every 1-on-1 matchup that summer.

Point God Award: Darius Garland and Cole Anthony

We’ve had some incredible performances by point guards this summer, but both Darius Garland and Cole Anthony played tremendously. The game looked so easy for them: not only do they make their teammates better, but they can get to anywhere they want on the court and make tough shots. Both of those guys have bright futures in the NBA.

Watch Out For: Kiyan Anthony 

Kiyan Anthony, who will be a sophomore at Christ the King, had one of those summers where you say, Man he got so much better! Not only did he grow about four inches this summer, but his game has really developed. He already has a handful of Division I offers and he’s nationally ranked.

The post The 2022 Black Ops Basketball Summer Recap and Awards appeared first on SLAM.

Haslem entered the League in 2003 as an undrafted rookie out of Florida. With all-time great Dwyane Wade, the pair won an NBA Championship in just their third season with the Heat after defeating the star-studded Dallas Mavericks squad. Haslem would make another 17 years of unforgettable memories for the Heat.

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UD was part of the back-to-back championship roster for the Heat from 2012-2013. Haslem started in 59 games in 2013 and proved his vocal leadership from the forward slot would end up making one of the Heat’s best defensive lineups in League history. He still shows that leadership on the bench as he constantly directs where a Heat defender should be on plays. Of course, it worked, as the Heat were one of the best defensive teams last season.

That stout defense had its moments, like when Jimmy Butler and Erik Spoelstra got into a heated argument over a defensive possession. Haslem broke up this matter; and assured the team and press that he wouldn’t condone Butler’s behavior by yelling “I’ll whoop your a–” towards the six-time All-Star.

Udonis Haslem addresses what he says is the beginning of his “The Last Ride.“ pic.twitter.com/qA7OxZSeyC

— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) September 27, 2022

Fans thought the team was falling apart, but it was only a wake-up call to get back into their winning ways. Butler would then lead the Heat to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they would end up a Game 7 victory short of playing in the NBA Finals for the second time in three years.

“Got one more in me for Pop,” said Haslem per Heat Nation. “Got one more in me for the city. Got one more in me for the team.”

The Heat forward dedicates his last season to his late father, Johnnie Haslem, who passed away in August 2021. The UD farewell tour starts Oct. 19 against the Chicago Bulls. A lot of emotion heads into this season, but the best thing Haslem and the Heat can do is bring a fourth banner to the 305 and write off Haslem with a legendary career.

The post Udonis Haslem Announces His 20th Season Will be His ‘Last Ride’ appeared first on SLAM.

Miami is headed for another season of action as a top contender to come out of the Eastern Conference and is looking to push one of their stars Bam Adebayo, to have an increased scoring role. Doing so can take the team over the hump.

Last year, Adebayo only averaged 13.7 shot attempts a game. For someone that shoots it at 55.7 percent, the expectation is that more volume will cede more outstanding production. Even Butler chimed in about this push on Media Day.

“We know he knows we want him to score more; we want him to be aggressive. He can do it, and he’s going to — He always is and always will be the engine, the key part on both ends of the floor. So we’re going where Bam takes us.”

Adebayo understands that the team wants him to score more, so he is setting a new goal for himself going into the 2022-23 campaign. On Media Day, the Heat star revealed that he wants to average close to 18 shot attempts per game.

“I’m going to try to get it up this year,” said Adebayo. “I feel like we’re a lot better team when I’m scoring the basketball.”

If the Heat star can remain efficient with that many shot attempts this season, we are potentially looking at an early MIP candidate.

The post Bam Adebayo Tabbed for Bigger Role this Upcoming Season appeared first on SLAM.

The Miami Heat come off a 53-29 record that earned them first place in a loaded Eastern Conference. Their championship dynamic seemed to have shined all post-season long as they knocked off the Atlanta Hawks and the Philadelphia 76ers.

In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Vincent scored 17 points to go along with three blocks, helping Miami rally to a 118-107 victory over the Boston Celtics. Vincent’s production took a slight decline for the next few games as Miami ended up finding themselves down 3-2 in the series.

The back-and-forth bout left for a critical Game 6 in Boston’s roaring TD Garden. Players and fans around the league had already written off the Heat before the pivotal game, as Draymond Green boldly said that the Warriors were prepared to face Boston in the NBA Finals.

The confident statement from Green sparked Jimmy Butler to go off for 47 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists to force a series-deciding Game 7.

The Heat had fought through Game 7, even when trailing by 15 with three minutes to go in the fourth quarter. It came down to a transition three attempt from the top of the break by Butler that, had he made it, would’ve punched Miami’s ticket back to the NBA Finals. However, the ball went off the rim and landed in the hands of Boston, allowing them to ice the game and have a date with the Warriors.

That miss started the off-season of the Heat, and there were many rumors about everyone not named Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo. PJ Tucker joined the 76ers while Max Strus, Tyler Herro, and Kyle Lowry were linked to trade talks for big-name superstars around the League like Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving or now-Cleveland Cavalier Donovan Mitchell.

The summer of rumors had worn off, and the Miami Heat kept most of their pieces together. Miami will be on the short list of Eastern Conference Finals threats that can make it out of the conference and into the Finals.

The post Gabe Vincent: Miami Has ‘What It Takes to Get Back to the NBA Finals’ appeared first on SLAM.

The visit to Mexico is the first time the NBA has played the Mexico City games since December 2019.

San Antonio will showcase their newest rookie Tari Eason, recently re-signed Keldon Johnson, and of course, Coach Gregg Popovich. Meanwhile, Miami returns a team that just went to the Eastern Conference Finals led by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.

San Antonio made their debut in Mexico in 1994, and the Heat will play in Mexico for the first time since 2017.

The 2022-23 game also be the 30th season of the Mexico Games, which began in 1992 between the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets.

The post Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs Set to Play Mexico City Game in 2022 appeared first on SLAM.

The controversial call came nearly a minute into the third frame. Strus knocked down a corner three-ball to cut Boston’s lead to 56-54. After the Celtics went on a run, League officials at the NBA replay center in Secaucus, New Jersey, elected to overturn the ball because Strus’ heel was out of bounds on the ball. The call left Spoelstra “in shock” as Miami’s points were taken off the board.

“I was in shock,” Spoelstra said. “I was asking [assistant coach] [Chris Quinn] about that. The fact that it happened three to four, five minutes in-game time, that does change the context of how you’re playing. We were starting to gain some momentum. You feel like it’s a seven-, eight-point game, and you look up, and it’s a 13-point game, and there’s no other explanation for it other than it’s gone back to the league offices. You feel like if it happens like that, it should happen immediately, and you can adjust accordingly.”

Although the call was a major source of frustration, Spoelstra repeatedly reiterated that the overturned play wasn’t the reason Miami lost.

“Look, that’s not the reason we lost,” he said. “We still had plenty of opportunities. We just couldn’t get control of the game. A lot of that was Boston. We didn’t stop grinding, and we gave ourselves a shot at it at the end. We just couldn’t make enough plays during the course of the game. It felt like most of the game we were grinding from an eight-to-10-point deficit.”

However, because of the nature of the game and how high-profile the controversial the call was, Spoelstra knows it will be discussed at future League meetings.

“I’m sure they will look at that, and we’ll probably be the case study for it,” Spoelstra said. “I’m OK if it happens the way it used to. They would look at it at the next foul or break and look at it and notice it, but it was probably 10 minutes of real-time — somebody check on that.

“I’m not crying or whining. Come on; we got beat. This was two competitive teams going at it. We had a crack at it at the end. Even as uneven as the game seemed, we had a crack at it. Our guys are never going to, like, not think we have a chance at it.”

After Strus’ three was waved off, Miami still had a chance to win in the waning seconds after cutting a seven-point deficit to two with just over a minute to go. Butler’s potential game-winner was shot, and Boston iced their 100-96 win with two free throws from Defensive Player of the Year winner Marcus Smart.

In the aftermath, Spoelstra had no issue with the best player on the Heat taking the possible game-winner, calling it a clean look and “better than anything we could have designed.”

Butler played all 48 minutes of the win-or-go-home Game 7 tilt, finishing with 35 points and nine rebounds.

“My thought process was go for the win,” Butler said. “Which I did. Missed a shot. But I’m taking that shot. My teammates liked the shot that I took. So I’m living with it.”

As tough as it is for Miami, their season is finished. Boston and the Golden State Warriors take center stage for Thursday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Warriors will host Game 1 of the series at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

The post Erik Spoelstra in ‘Shock’ After Overturned Max Strus Three-Pointer appeared first on SLAM.

Wednesday’s Game 5 was perhaps their best chance to head back to Boston with a 3-2 lead. The Heat was up by five coming out of the halftime break, but Boston outscored Miami 56-38, with their suffocating defense forcing the Heat to miss their first nine shots of the third quarter. The Celtics grabbed a lead they wouldn’t surrender with an 8-0 run, taking a 69-58 lead into the final frame.

From there, Boston blew the game wide open, creating a 23-point cushion in the fourth quarter. Jaylen Brown (25 points) took over in the fourth, knocking down a trio of three-pointers, slamming the door shut on any Miami comeback when he drove down the late and threw down this hammer in the half-court.

“As disappointing and as frustrating as this game can be,” Spoelstra said per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, “We get on to Boston and just come together.”

JB RELAX (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/GPksWm5fuG

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 26, 2022

Now, the Heat have one more night to keep their season going, and should they win Friday’s Game 6, they host a win-or-go-home Game 7 in FTX Arena.

Miami’s consecutive losses have been flustering, starting with an uncharacteristic blowout loss 102-82 Game 4 loss in Boston after getting outclassed in the first quarter 18-1. In Game 5, Boston’s decisive 24-2 run in the third quarter put any notion of Miami taking a 3-2 lead into Boston to bed.

Miami’s problems are punctuated by the sudden ineffectiveness of their veteran leaders, Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry.

Both have been a step slow in the ECF due to respective knee and hamstring injuries, especially Butler, who hasn’t played with his typical relentlessness. Lowry is 5-23 from the field in the conference finals, going 0-6 from the field and 0-5 from long-distance. Butler finished with 13 points, six rebounds, and four assists, but he’s only attempted six free throws in the past three games after shooting 26 in Games 1 and 2.

To top it off, Sixth Man of the Year winner Tyler Herro has missed the last two games due to a groin injury. Miami’s numerous injuries make it challenging to thrive against a physical defense that ranks No. 1 amongst the final four teams in the playoffs.

“We’re not making any excuses for any kind of health or anything like that,” Spoelstra said. “We’re just going to figure it out and get on up there to Boston and enjoy that competition.”

BAM ON CLEAN UP DUTY!!! (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/oF9dSGWtPS

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 26, 2022

Now from this point on, it’s about surviving, taking it one game at a time

Lowry has held himself accountable, telling reporters that he has to play better while he’s out there.

The message is similar is from Butler. The six-time All-Star said that his bothersome knee is okay, but he needs to play better while on the court and help find ways to win. Bam Adebayo also said it’s time to adapt, not accepting the excuse that the Heat is injured when every team is dealing with the same bumps and bruises this late into the season.

“We’re still alive,” Spoelstra said. “We have an opportunity to play in front of a great crowd and an opportunity to make a memory that you’ll remember for a long time. That’s all we’re thinking about right now.

“And we have the kind of warriors that are going to tape up, brace up, do whatever we’ve got to do to get ready for the next one, and just embrace and enjoy that competition.”

Boston has a chance to close the ECF out on Friday when they host Miami for Game 6.

The post Miami Hopes to ‘Make a Memory’ in Wednesday’s Game 6 Against Boston appeared first on SLAM.

The Heat scored just 11 points in the first quarter and immediately found themselves down 18 at the end of one. Miami then went on to only reach 33 points at the end of the second quarter and was down by 24 points at halftime.

Heat star Jimmy Butler scored just six points on 3-for-14 shooting as Miami’s starters scored a combined 18 points in an underwhelming performance.

“This is part of the playoffs; there are these extreme highs and lows,” Coach Erik Spoelstra said, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “We’ve proven that we can find solutions offensively in a lot of different ways.”

The Heat is struggling with multiple injuries, as Butler (knee inflammation), point guard Kyle Lowry (hamstring), and power forward P.J. Tucker (knee contusion) are all playing through nagging injuries. Tyler Herro, the 2022 Sixth Man of the Year winner, is also hobbled and missed Game 4 with a groin injury.

“We are not making any excuse,” Spoelstra said. “We can do it in the mud. We can win it ugly. We can win it when the floodgates come open, hitting threes. We can do it with Jimmy taking over a game. We can do it when he’s facilitating. We have the mental fortitude and the collective toughness to be able to embrace what we have. It’s just a very competitive, good series.”

“No excuse for how I played tonight. It don’t got nothing to do with my knee,” Butler said. “I’ve just got to be better. I will be better. I’m not too worried about it.”

On the other side, Boston star Jayson Tatum scored 31 points on 8-of-16 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. Big men Al Horford and Robert Williams III combined for 22 rebounds and six blocked shots.

Both teams will look to take a 3-2 advantage as the series heads back to Miami for an 8:30 tip-off at FTX Arena Wednesday night.

The post Erik Spoelstra On Game 4 Performance: ‘We Are Not Making Any Excuse’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Heat have thrived in the regular season, the No. 1 seed in the East with a 53-29 record, and have made it to the ECF due to their veterans ensuring that the teams’ most significant strength is their communication with one another. Vets like Kyle Lowry, P.J. Tucker, Jimmy Butler, and Udonis Haslem have made sure that the Heat has held each other accountable while also letting each other know something they noticed on the court.

Having a team with solid veteran leadership makes life easier for you guys like Max Strus or Bam Adebayo, who is coming into his own as a veteran voice on the team. Haslem encouraged Adebayo to be more aggressive on Game 3, leading to the former Kentucky Wildcat scoring 31 points and 10 rebounds on a career-high 15-22 shooting from the field.

Strus (16 points on 4-7 threes) knocked down a clutch triple with two minutes left in Game 3 to stretch Miami’s lead from one point to four moments after Lowry suggested Coach Erik Spoelstra should run a play for Strus.

“To me, it’s a good thing everyone has an opinion instead of Spo always doing the talking and trying to figure everything out,” Adebayo said per the Miami Herald.

“It’s good that we have four or five guys communicating and talking about schemes so we can all get to a comfortable place where we can all agree on [things].”

Lowry has also been a critical mentor for backup point guard Gabe Vincent (11.3 points per game in the ECF). Vincent said Lowry has made sure to speak with Vincent about what he see’s on the court as an OG lead ballhandler and encourages him to maintain Miami’s preferred pace of play.

Spoelstra has solidified and encouraged the Heat’s culture of players leading the players. According to Tucker, Spoelstra permits his veteran circle so much leeway to speak up because they are high IQ players with substantive ideas to contribute to the game. Tucker further gave Spoelstra credit for not being “the dictator-type that he expected.”

“It’s about smart guys respecting each other, knowing what each other brings, and being able to bring that out of each other,” Tucker said. “Each of us calls each other out for not doing something right[but then] respect [each other] and keep going and not take it personally.”

Second-year center Omer Yurtseven summed up the Heat’s leadership structure as so: Tucker is the defensive guy, being more vocal on that side with some bits and pieces for the offense. Lowry is “very detail-oriented and very smart — he will see something and relay it to the team exactly, a clear picture.” Butler and Adebayo are vocal on both ends, and Haslem is “always talking, especially during timeouts.”

Having too many cooks in the kitchen could be a problem for some players. However, according to Strus, it helps “having a lot of guys that keep us stable.”

“All our veterans are really great about that,” Spoelstra said. “You can develop young guys all that you want, and we do — But what really kicks into another gear is just the veteran leadership of infusing confidence. That’s what Kyle has done the entire year.”

The Heat and Celtics will play Game 4 on Monday night, with Miami looking to leave Boston with a 3-1 series lead and home-court advantage heading back to FTX Arena.

The post Miami’s Veteran Voices Power 2-1 Series Lead in Eastern Conference Finals appeared first on SLAM.

Gabe Vincent and Victor Oladipo scored 14 each, and Tyler Herro followed up with 11 points of his own. The loss drops Miami to 7-1 at FTX Arena during the 2022 playoffs.

“This only counts as one,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That’s what the experienced players in the locker room and staff understand. We don’t like it. They played extremely well. You have two really good teams, and we just have to figure some things out.”

The Miami Heat will have to have a short memory before Game 3 after this blowout loss. Everything that could’ve gone wrong did after Miami raced out to a 10-point in the opening minutes of the first quarter. That was about the only bright spot of the night before Boston went on a 17-0 fueled by five made triples in six possessions. The superstar duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined to score 51 points, including 33 in the first half.

Boston eventually outscored Miami by 39 points in the next 18 minutes and headed into the locker room with a 70-45 lead at halftime. After the break, Butler did everything he could to bring Miami back into the game, cutting the lead to 17 after scoring 16 points in the third quarter.

However, Boston responded with a 12-2 run to shut the door on any comeback bid, restoring a 27-deficit while heading into the final frame with a 96-71 lead that was never threatened. Had Miami not gone on a late run, Game 2 of the 2022 Miami-Boston ECF series would’ve set a Miami record for the biggest loss in their franchise history. Miami avoided that historic achievement, but Boston broke their franchise record for the biggest road playoff game lead at halftime (25).

“It has to hurt,” Butler said. “They tried to embarrass us. They did embarrass us. — Overall, we just have to be better.”

The next time Miami and Boston meet will be Saturday’s Game 3 in TD Garden. Whoever wins Game 3 will leave with a 2-1 series and home-court advantage.

The post Erik Spoelstra On Miami’s Game 2 Loss: ‘This Only Counts As One’ appeared first on SLAM.

Not only did Butler drop 41 points, 27 of which came in the second half, but he also posted nine rebounds, five assists, four steals, and three blocks, including a block on Jayson Tatum when the Duke alum attempted a three-pointer in the left corner. Butler is now the first player in NBA history to put together a 40/9/5/4/3 game in the playoffs, according to Statmuse.

“Jimmy Butler is an elite competitor,” Spoelstra said, per ESPN. “There’s a lot of guys in this League that are playing basketball. He’s competing to win. That’s a totally different thing, and he does that as well as anybody in this League.”

Masterful in the midrange.
(via @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/Q57Dh8Pgtx

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 18, 2022

Butler has now become the second player in franchise history to score 40+ points in five games this postseason, the first being Dwyane Wade. Butler has also recorded his fifth career playoff game with 40 points on 60 percent shooting, tied with Charles Barkley for third-most in the last 30 postseasons, followed by Shaquille O’Neal (8) and LeBron James (12) via ESPN Stats and Info.

The only other players to have a 40-5-5-4 playoff game are James, Russell Westbrook, Paul Pierce, Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Larry Bird, according to ESPN Stats and Info. Per Statmuse, Jimmy G. Buckets surpassed James and Wade for most 40/5/5 playoff games in Heat history.

“I don’t do this to score 40 points; I play the way that I play to win,” Butler said following the game. “It just so happened I scored 40, but if I scored 40 and lose, I’m gonna be really ticked off.”

Jimmy Butler is everywhere.
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/d8eKSNt2CK

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 18, 2022

Miami will look to take a 2-0 lead on Thursday’s Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The post Erik Spoelstra Praises Jimmy Butler After 41 Point Effort in Game 1 Win appeared first on SLAM.

Butler’s 41-point effort is his fifth of the postseason. He is the second player in franchise history to record five 40+ point efforts.

Jimmy Buckets enacted an all around MasterClass.

41 PTS
9 REB
5 AST
4 STL
3 BLK
63% FGM

: @MiamiHEAT pic.twitter.com/2R7iyMoMTQ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 18, 2022

Coming out of the break, Boston was up by eight; just three minutes into the third quarter, Miami took a lead they would never surrender after Butler knocked down a put-back layup. The lead-changing layup was a part of a game-changing 22-2 run punctuated by back-to-back-back steals from Max Strus and Butler to take a 10-point.

That double-digit lead eventually grew to 20 points after Tyler Herro hit three free throws a 1:15 into the fourth quarter after getting fouled on a three-point attempt.

“Keep the game easy,” Butler said about what was said in the locker room during halftime. “Simple. We gotta learn how to capitalize off of their mistakes, and we gotta get back. I think that’s what changed in the second half.”

Masterful in the midrange.
(via @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/Q57Dh8Pgtx

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 18, 2022

Butler was the catalyst for Miami imposing their will in the second half. The Marquette alum scored 27 points in the second half, along with three assists, three steals, and four rebounds (two on the offensive glass).

When Boston tried to capitalize on a 10-0 run that cut Miami’s lead to nine points with 7:35 seconds left on the clock, Miami continued to impose their will, silencing Boston each time they made it a single-digit game with triples from P.J. Tucker and Strus.

Their job on Jayson Tatum illustrated Miami’s second-half effort. Miami held the Duke alum to eight points after Tatum scored 21 in the first half, tied for a career-high in the first half. The defensive intensity on Tatum was highlighted by Butler blocking Tatum on a three-pointer from the left corner pocket. Miami also forced the St. Louis native to turn the ball over seven times.

“Contesting every shot,’ Butler said about Miami’s key to defending Tatum in the second half. “Try not to foul; he’s crafty as hell and just putting multiple bodies in front of him.”

Jimmy Butler is everywhere.
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/d8eKSNt2CK

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 18, 2022

Boston will look to tie the Eastern Conference Finals when they face Miami on Thursday’s Game 6.

The post Miami Heat ‘Keep the Game Easy’ in Game 1 Win Over Boston appeared first on SLAM.

Boston is coming in hot after blowing out the Bucks in Sunday’s Game 7 thanks to the hot scoring of Jayson Tatum, who has emerged as a top superstar as he averaged 28.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists per game in 41.2 minutes per game. The man who will likely be taking on the challenge of guarding Tatum will be Jimmy Butler, who has reclaimed his spot as a top superstar, averaging 28.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.

“Either team that we were to end up facing, whether it be Milwaukee or Boston, is a really, really, really good team,” Butler said per ESPN. “It is Boston. We’re looking forward to it. I guess you got to beat the best to be the best.”

Slowing down Tatum, who’s scored 30+ in four games and scored 46 points in Game 6 of the Boston-Milwaukee series, will be pivotal to Miami advancing to their NBA Finals since 2020.

Meanwhile, Butler has scored at least 40 points twice and dropped 30+ points three times.

Locking in on the two featured weapons of their respective weapons will be pivotal for the success of both Eastern Conference titans.

“He’s one of the best in the game right now,” Butler said. “As much attention as he draws on the offensive end — and then I think what’s really impressive is the way that he’s picked up his defensive intensity. You got to tip your hat to that and respect him; I think those are the guys that you want to go up against.”

The post Jimmy Butler Looking Forward to Matchup With Jayson Tatum appeared first on SLAM.

The two All-Stars grew a close bond while Butler was with the 76ers, helping complete the infamous process by helping Embiid lead Philly to a second-round playoff series in 2018, their first appearance since the 2012 postseason. In the 2019 offseason, Butler left Philly during the 2019 offseason, choosing to play in Miami after agreeing to sign and trade deal.

Miami pulling away (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/oyskAqcSve

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 13, 2022

According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, the decision boiled down to Philly choosing to invest in Ben Simmons, who was reportedly growing disenfranchised with Butler’s leadership and playstyle. Butler and Simmons are ball-dominant players, which pitted them against each other, per Shelburne. Eventually, the Sixers chose Simmons due to his youth and cheaper contract. Philly also believed Simmons had a higher ceiling.

Since then, Butler has led Miami to two Eastern Conference Finals as of Friday and one Finals appearance in 2020, losing the 2020 championship to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.

“I’m happy for him,” said Joel Embiid. “I won’t sit here and say I didn’t wish he was my teammate. I still don’t know how we let him go. I wish I could’ve gone to battle with him still, but it is what it is. Just gotta keep building and keep tryna reach that goal.”

“That’s my guy, that’s my brother. It’s tough, but I’m proud of him. He’s playing at an unreal level. He’s something else right now, and I’m proud of him for being at this level and carrying them and what he’s been able to do.”

During his live TV interview, Butler revealed what he said to Embiid as The Process left the court.

“That I love him,” Butler said. ” I’m proud of him. Yes, yes, yes, I wish I was still on his team; I definitely love the Miami Heat, though; I’m glad that I’m here, but I got so much respect and love for Joel Embiid.

“Still don’t know how we let him go”

Embiid on Jimmy Butler no longer being a 76er pic.twitter.com/kyGhZ4dLuI

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 13, 2022

The Heat will play the winners of the other Eastern Conference semifinals series between the Celtics and Bucks. The Bucks are in the driver’s seat with a 3-2 lead heading into Friday’s Game 6 in Milwaukee.

The post Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid Both Reveal They Wish They Were Still Teammates appeared first on SLAM.

The Heat had seven scorers in double-figures, led by Jimmy Butler (23 points), Max Strus (19 points, and Gabe Vincent (15 points). Victor Oladipo scored 13, followed by a 12-point effort from Bam Adebayo and 10 points apiece from Tyler Herro and P.J. Tucker.

Jimmy Buckets.

23 PTS
9 REB
6 AST

(via @MiamiHEAT) pic.twitter.com/Q07uFchjN7

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 11, 2022

Defensively, the Heat held the Sixers to 36.5 percent shooting from the field and 28.1 percent from beyond the arc. As for the superstars of the Heat, Joel Embiid was held to 17 points (7-12 shooting) and five rebounds, while James Harden contributed 14 points, six rebounds, and four assists on 5-13 shooting 2-6 from the three-point line.

BAM JAM!

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/hzLqkmDuvb

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 10, 2022

The 76ers had a rough night; overall, Miami came out firing on all cylinders, outscoring Philly in all four quarters. Miami shut the door on any comeback hopes immediately in the fourth quarter when they went on a 12-0 run powered by a 7-0 spurt from Herro and Struss, who scored five straight points to open the fourth frame. Adebayo stretched the lead to 25 with a three-point play, forcing Coach Rivers to sub out Embiid since Game 5 was no longer in question.

“We did what we were supposed to do once again,” Butler said during his postgame interview with Chris Haynes of YahooSports. “We won at home, we’re a different team when we make shots, and I don’t like that. I want us to be able to get spots no matter what, and then we worry about making shots. Right now, we’re cool.”

This interview is gold

(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/RlR8OdXRsd

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 11, 2022

The post Jimmy Butler on Miami’s 120-85 Win in Game 5: ‘We Did What We Were Supposed to Do Once Again’ appeared first on SLAM.

“A lot of it comes to us making shots,” Butler said. “We make shots; we tend to play defense. When we don’t, we don’t. We’ve got to get back to being a defensive-minded team, and then our offense comes to us second.”

“We’re gonna take the same shots next game, and they’re gonna fall.”

Jimmy Butler remains confident after the Heat’s Game 4 loss with the series headed back to Miami tied at 2…#HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/BafGRh2x3P

— Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) May 9, 2022

While his 40 points, six assists, two steals, and two blocks helped keep Miami alive, James Harden carved up their defense late with a 16-point fourth-quarter performance that stripped away any hope of getting a stop.

As a team that averaged 110 points per game in the regular season, putting up just 79 points in their Game 3 loss to Philly was a shock for a team that’s capitalized off of turning turnovers and defensive pressure into offense all season long.

“I think every shot that we shoot we think is going in. And we’re going to take the same shots next game and they’re gonna fall because that’s the way we’ve been playing all year long,” Butler said.

The Heat will face off against the 76ers at home for Game 5 on Tuesday before traveling back to Philly for Game 6 on Thursday.

The post Jimmy Butler Says the Heat Need to ‘Get Back to Being a Defensive-Minded Team’ appeared first on SLAM.

Playoff Jimmy always brings that energy.

(: @_theeyeg) pic.twitter.com/QRAEh79qO0

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 20, 2022

Last season, the Heat could not recreate that magic from their Orlando Bubble and fell to the eventual champion Miluwake Bucks in a first-round sweep. The playoff failure led to the Miami office bringing in Kyle Lowry to relieve Butler of playmaking duties. That change led to the Heat earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference after going 53-29 in the regular season.

Since he doesn’t have to be as ball-dominant as he was during the bubble, Butler has been able to focus more on getting buckets, which led to Butler being able to score 45 points in a 115-105 win over the Atlanta Hawks to grab a 2-0 lead as the first-round series shifts to Atlanta. A personal 7-0 run punctuated the primetime performance in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter to increase Miami’s lead from three to 10 to cement the Heat’s win.

“I am a different player now than I was then,” Butler said per ESPN. “I just always want to play basketball the right way and do whatever it takes to help this team, this organization, win. That’s why they brought me here.”

JIMMY BUTLER.

45 PTS
5 REB
5 AST
2 STL

(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/914leJRDH9

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 20, 2022

Butler’s big-time outing arrived on the strength of some hot shooting. Butler finished the game shooting 15-25 from the field, 11-12 from the free-throw line, and hit 4-7 three-pointers as well. During the regular season, Butler shot 23.3 percent on triples; Jimmy G. Buckets is a career 32.1 percent shooter from beyond the arc.

Erik Spoelstra, head coach of Miami, said that Butler’s shooting from outside reminded him of the exploits of franchise legends Dwyane Wade. Wade, James, and Butler are the only Heat players to finish a playoff game with 40-points three times.

“It actually is a good comparison because if you get in those pressure moments and the moments of truth, if you’re on the other side, would you ever want to just give Dwyane Wade an open 3? You would not,” Spoelstra said. “Because he’s a killer. He’s going to seize that moment. And Jimmy has a lot of those same qualities. You can say whatever the percentage is — throw those all out when it becomes about winning. He’ll find a way to kill you.”

The Heat-Hawks first-round series resumes on Friday in Atlanta.

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As great as limiting Young to that low of output is, the Heat are also aware that Young and the Hawks coaching staff led by Nate McMillan will find a way to unlock their star point guards offensive talent. Young sat out the final 14 minutes of the game to gather his thoughts on what went wrong and the adjustments he could make for Game 2.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, Ice Trae’s 8.3 percent shooting from the field was the worst single-game shooting performance of his career spanning the regular and post-season. Despite bottling Young up like they did, the Heat are aware that a shifty guard that can shoot the three-ball like Young will never be bottled entirely up for at least four losses.

“Miami played at another level,” McMillan said per ESPN. “We have to get to another level. There is another level of intensity where you are locked in on winning every possession. We have to execute and value every possession in these games.”

The Heat finished the regular season fourth in defensive rating. The game plan from Coach Erik Spoelstra was to switch longer, rangier defenders onto Young whenever the Hawks ran pick-and-roll. According to Second Spectrum, the scheme resulted in the Heat switching 21 times against Young in Game 1, allowing 0.8 points per direct pick.

The Oklahoma product scored 0.96 points per direct pick against all opposing defenses that switched against him during the regular season.

“Keep him in front,” explained Jimmy Butler. “He is constantly breaking down defenses and causing you to help, and if you don’t help it’s a layup, [or] it’s a floater. And if you do help, he’s hitting the right guy every single time [with a pass]. I think we did a great job of not fouling and just moving our feet and staying in front of him.”

Young acknowledged that fatigue set in after a short turnaround from playing in the play-in tournament.

“You definitely feel the heavy legs, but you have to give them credit,” Young said. “They came out aggressive; they came out with a lot of energy.”

Game 2 of this first-round series will take place on Tuesday in Miami.

The post Miami Heat Limit Trae Young But Know He’s Capable of Big Game appeared first on SLAM.

After battling the Warriors to a 50-50 halftime tie, the Heat gave up a 19-0 run to start the third quarter to a Golden State team without the services of Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, and Green.

Then during the timeout, it looked as if Jimmy Butler and Coach Erik Spoelstra had words. It was then when long-time veteran Udonis Haslem got into an altercation on the sideline with Butler. After teammates separated them, Spoelstra got angry with Butler as well, and then Heat players had to separate them.

Jimmy Butler was HEATED in the Miami huddle after the Warriors went on a big run to start the second half pic.twitter.com/6waBmHlL1r

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 24, 2022

Just moments later, the combative situation woke Miami up and sparked them to go on a momentum-shifting run to cut the lead to 81-80 by the end of the third quarter before the Warriors pulled away again to win 118-104.

So, to recap. Tied 50-50 at halftime. Warriors 19-0 run to 69-50. Then Haslem and Butler go at it. Now Heat within 81-80 going into fourth. Bananas.

— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) March 24, 2022

“You can use moments during the season to catapult you,” Spoelstra said about the potential effects of the event going forward via ESPN. “You can galvanize together over frustration and disappointment. Teams can also go the other way. I don’t see that with our group. I don’t see that with our locker room. But we have needed a kick in the butt.”

Wednesday night’s loss was the Heat’s second straight to a short-handed opponent. The Philadelphia 76ers beat them Monday night without James Harden and Joel Embiid in the lineup. 

When Heat point guard Kyle Lowry was asked about the heated moment, he downplayed the incident as not as big a deal as some make it out to be.

“It’s crazy, but it’s passion. … It’s good sometimes to get some anger and frustration out and just talk about it,” Lowry said via CBS Sports.com. “We’re gonna have situations that make people uncomfortable, but at the end of the day, as long as we’re comfortable and we figure it out, that’s all that really matters as long as we’re together. And we are.”

Miami has a chance to show their unity against the New York Knicks on Friday.

The post Heat Inspired by Altercation Despite Loss to the Shorthanded Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

With a team built around a lot of upcoming players, head coach Eric Spoelstra leans on his superstars, including Jimmy Butler, to make the plays needed to win. Butler is currently averaging 21.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.8 assist on the season.

“I don’t dial him back. We have our team rules, and then there’s the Jimmy Butler rules,” Spoelstra said to Brady Hawk. “He can do whatever he wants because he can do some things I’ve never seen before–particularly when he’s on the weak side. The only guy you can compare it to is really when Dwyane [Wade] in his prime, would just be an incredible, instinctual playmaker off the ball. Jimmy can be that guy.”

The Miami Heat will look to extend their five-game winning streak on Wednesday as they matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The post Erik Spoelstra on Jimmy Butler: ‘He Can Do Some Things I’ve Never Seen Before’ appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday night, LeBron James and Kevin Durant – the two captains for the All-Star game – selected their teams for the All-Star Game taking place in just under two weeks.

Each captain had to select their starting lineups first and then select their reserves. Because Durant is injured and will not be playing in the game, nine players were available to be drafted instead of eight, with Jayson Tatum replacing Durant as a starter.

James opened the draft up by selecting Giannis Antetokounmpo first overall, with Durant using his first pick to draft Joel Embiid.

James rounded off his starting lineup by selecting Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Jokic. Durant’s starting lineup will consist of Embiid, Tatum, Ja Morant, Andrew Wiggins, and Trae Young. Wiggins and Young were the final two starters selected in the draft.

Between the two, Durant has the least experienced starting lineup with Wiggins and Morant, both first-time All-Stars and Young just in his second All-Star Game.

Durant got the first pick to open up the reserves section of the draft and used the pick to select Devin Booker, and James used his first pick to draft Luka Doncic.

Durant filled out his reserves by selecting Karl Anthony-Towns, Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, Khris Middleton, LaMelo Ball, and Rudy Gobert.

James reserves will be Darius Garland, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell, Fred VanVleet, and James Harden.

Harden was the last pick of the All-Star Draft, with Durant creating a funny moment where he opted against drafting his former teammate, who was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, to take Gobert instead.

The All-Star Game is scheduled to occur in Cleveland on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The post NBA All-Star Teams Set, Giannis Antetokounmpo Selected First Overall appeared first on SLAM.

The Heat superstar returned to action against the Memphis Grizzlies after missing four games with a tailbone injury only to reaggravate it in a 105-90 loss Monday night.

Butler reinjured himself in the first quarter driving to the basket and landing on his back at the tailbone area.

Heat Coach Eric Spoelstra spoke on the matter after the game via ESPN.

“He drew contact and got shoved and landed on his tailbone again,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after the game. “There could not have been a worst scenario for us to start the game. It is a contact sport. It’s an unpredictable thing. Insult to injury, we didn’t get the call on that either.

“But he definitely re-aggravated it. You can tell from that point on he was not his usual self. So we’ll reevaluate him [Tuesday] and see where we are.”

Butler returned to the game after the fall but eventually left for good in the third quarter with 10 points.

The team will hold Butler out for Wednesday’s home game against the NBA champion, Milwaukee Bucks.

Butler’s injury is just the latest of a long list of players who are banged up or unavailable for the game.

Heat injury update for Wednesday vs. Bucks:
Jimmy Butler (tailbone) out
Markieff Morris (neck) out
Bam Adebayo (thumb) out
Victor Oladipo (knee) out
Marcus Garrett (G League) out
Caleb Martin (knee) questionable

— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) December 7, 2021

Markieff Morris will miss his 16th consecutive game because of a neck injury. At the same time, All-Star Bam Adebayo is reportedly expected to miss four to six weeks after undergoing right thumb surgery last week.

The post Jimmy Butler Held Out Of Miami Lineup Due to Lingering Tailbone Injury appeared first on SLAM.

Butler has been the heart, soul and engine of multiple franchises and his grit, work ethic and development have all been recognized over the past few seasons as he’s been named as a multi-time All-Star and All-NBA selection.

Now 31-years-old, the tough-nailed forward has been stamped as the face of the Heat, who traded for the veteran in July 2019 after his brief stint with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Ultimately, although the Sixers would retain their dominant standing in the Eastern Conference, Butler’s play would make the Heat a noteworthy opponent—one even capable of making it to the NBA Finals in 2020.

Universally regarded as one of the league’s best two-way forces, Butler averaged 21.5 points, 7.1 assists, 6.9 rebounds and a league-high 2.1 steals per game last season while shooting 49.7 percent from the field.

The post REPORT: Jimmy Butler Expected to Sign Max Extension with Heat appeared first on SLAM.

To Jimmy Butler, that means there’s unfinished business. In fact, he recently talked about how things will be different this time around.  

““I want to let Miami know that we, this organization, want to bring another championship here,” Butler said in an interview with Ocean Drive. “When we get there, which we will, we’re gonna get it done this time.”

Butler is confident that the Heat will make their way back to the NBA Finals, but also finish with a series win and a championship trophy this time around. After acquiring Victor Oladipo at the trade deadline, Miami certainly has the depth to make some noise down the stretch. 

Currently 26-25, the Heat have had quite a bit of success recently, climbing their way up the standings in the East. With teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers having extremely talented rosters, the path back won’t be easy. Yet, with their roster featuring the trio of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Victor Oladipo, don’t count the Miami Heat out. 

The post Jimmy Butler On NBA Finals: ‘We’re Gonna Get It Done This Time’ appeared first on SLAM.

While most players typically talk about the things they develop playing alongside their own teammates, Barrett told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that his two matchups against Butler taught him some valuable lessons. 

“He draws a lot of fouls…Something I can pick up from his game. He is also really smart, making all the right plays and getting his teammates involved. Really good to go against.”

RJ Barrett in his second NBA season has been spectacular. Through 26 games, he’s averaged 17.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. 

The post RJ Barrett Learned From Matchups Against Jimmy Butler appeared first on SLAM.

“You simply cannot put a modern-day analytic to Jimmy’s will to win. He was not going to let us lose, no matter what it took.”

Butler hadn’t played since January 9 due to a case of COVID-19 and has been working his way back to full health and conditioning. While this was only his seventh game of the season, it perhaps has been his best thus far. 

Butler produced 30 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds in 30 minutes of play against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. There’s something about Jimmy Butler and his impact on the game. Even outside of the box score, he’s a winner and excellent motivator on the court. 

The post Erik Spoelstra: ‘You Simply Cannot Put A Modern-Day Analytic To Jimmy Butler’s Will To Win’ appeared first on SLAM.

In a recent media availability session, Spoelstra gave additional insight into the Heat’s priorities. He talked about how they owe it to Jimmy Butler to make sure they’re making moves to win now, rather than building for the future. 

“We feel a great responsibility for Jimmy to win now, instead of pushing this thing down the line.” 

After losing in the 2020 NBA Finals, Miami will look to run it back and try to win a title this season. This experience will be good for their young players in Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Duncan Robinson. 

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Butler, who promised Heat president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra that he would bring a title to Miami, told reporters after the Game 6 loss that he and his teammates already want to get back to work (starting at 3:23 in the video below).

“We’re going to learn from this. We’re going to get better. We’re going to come back. We’re going to come back. We’ll be back. That’s what we’re all saying in that locker room.

“We got guys that want to do it. We got guys that already want to get back in the gym and get to working at this thing. That’s what we do here.”

Heat guard Goran Dragic, who valiantly played 19 minutes in Game 6 with a torn plantar fascia, tweeted that he was proud of his team for leaving everything out of the court throughout the Finals.

“What we’ve built is something special,” wrote Dragic, “and we’ll be back!”

The post ‘We’ll Be Back’: Jimmy Butler, Heat Vow To Return To NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

“I told Coach Pat, I told Coach Spo I’m here to win one. I didn’t do my job, so moving forward, I got to hold up my end of the bargain.”

Although it ended in a loss, it was a historic finals performance for Butler. He became just the third NBA player to record a 40-point triple-double in an finals game and one of three players in Heat history to score 30 in a finals game. Butler was the first player to outscore, outrebound and out-assist LeBron James in an NBA Finals game, including LeBron’s teammates. Lastly, Butler became the second player to record multiple 30-point triple-doubles in an NBA Finals, joining LeBron James.

He did all of this with some of his best teammates missing significant time and not playing fully healthy. After Game 6, Spoelstra talked about the health issues that plagued the Heat the entire series.

“We had several guys who were not even close to being 100 percent, probably shouldn’t have been playing, but that’s how this group was.”

Butler is certainly happy in Miami and will look to make his way back to the NBA Finals to win a ring. He further emphasized this after their loss talking about what this city means to him.

“This is where I belong. This is what makes me smile. This is what makes me happy. I wish I could have done it for the city. I wish I could have done it for my teammates, for the organization.”

Jimmy Butler ultimately finished with the most minutes played and fourth most points in the playoffs in a run that we will never forget. The Heat will look to continue to build their roster over the coming years in hopes to win their first championship since LeBron James left the team in 2013.

The post Jimmy Butler On Losing In Finals: ‘I Didn’t Do My Job’ appeared first on SLAM.

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“His will to win is remarkable,” Spoelstra said. “To do that in 47-plus minutes, and take the challenge on the other end? Every young player coming into the League should study footage on Jimmy Butler, the definition of a two-way player, competing on both ends.”

Butler has indeed been tremendous for the Heat, averaging 29.0 points, 10.2 assists, 8.6 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game in his first-ever Finals appearance. Butler is getting it done on both ends, taking the challenge of guarding LeBron James and matching his output on the offensive end.

Despite it being his first season with Miami, Butler has embodied the franchise’s culture in a way that may only be matched by Heat lifer Udonis Haslem.

Refusing to be rattled by the pressure of the moment, Butler continues to defy the odds, and that’s a quality that all young hoopers should try to embody.

The post Erik Spoelstra: Every Young Player Should Study Jimmy Butler appeared first on SLAM.

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Per StatMuse’s Justin Kubtako, Butler is the first player to record two triple-doubles in his first NBA Finals, the second player to record two 30-point triple-doubles in the NBA Finals (LeBron James did so in 2015), and the second player to record at least 20 points and 5 assists in each of his first five NBA Finals games (Michael Jordan did so in 1991).

Butler will never challenge either LeBron or MJ in terms of all-time greatness but, by putting his name in their company, he’s done nothing but illuminate the level of his talent.

The post Jimmy Butler Puts His Name in Elite Company With NBA Finals Performance appeared first on SLAM.

Offensively, he was nearly perfect, shooting. 700 from the floor and racking up 40 points. He also notched a triple-double in a 13 assist and 11 rebound performance. This makes him just the third player to ever record a 40-point triple-double in the NBA Finals.

For the Heat, this was one of the greatest offensive performances in franchise history when it comes to NBA Finals games. Butler joined LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as the only players to ever score 30 points in a finals game as a member of the Heat.

Late in the game, with the win nearly secured, Butler uttered the words “They’re in trouble” in response to James saying something similar to him early in the game.

Speaking of LeBron James, this was the first time he had ever been outscored, outrebounded and out-assisted in a finals game. Butler was clearly the best player on the floor in Game 3.

Butler did all of this without even attempting a three-pointer. In fact, 38 of his points in the paint or from the free throw line. He scored or assisted on 73 points, tied for second-most in an NBA Finals game ever.

For the Heat, this was a huge win that will give the team a boost of confidence. After the game, Butler talked about how the win proved that the Lakers could be beaten.

This victory gives the Miami Heat some life. With Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo still out, they will look to keep their momentum rolling and get some of their key pieces back in Game 4. Whether they are able to play or not, Jimmy Butler has shown that he has what it takes to carry the Heat in the NBA Finals.

The post Jimmy Butler: ‘They’re In Trouble’ appeared first on SLAM.

In the first half of Wednesday’s 18-point loss, Goran Dragic, who had led the team in playoff scoring heading into the Finals, left the game with a torn plantar fascia in his left foot.

Shortly thereafter, team leader Jimmy Butler rolled his ankle, although he would go on to play over 33 minutes in the game. Later in the game, Bam Adebayo strained the left side of his neck and ultimately only played 21 minutes total.

This leaves the Heat in a tough spot. These are Miami’s three leading scorers and passers, who produced a combined 60.1 points, 21.3 rebounds and 14.1 assists per game through their first three playoff series.

According to a recent Miami Heat injury report, it appears Butler will be good to go, while Dragic and Adebayo remain doubtful.

Head coach Erik Spoelstra was asked after the game how you combat these types of obstacles in a big series like this, saying, “You have to go through your plan A, plan B, plan C.”

If these key guys aren’t able to play, or at least play at full strength, other players will have to step up.

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What’s more, though James’ Heat were facing a formidable foe in the San Antonio Spurs, nobody would have been surprised if they emerged victorious. That’s not the case with this current iteration of Miami, who are facing a team with two players who are considerably more established than they are.

In any case, the Heat are a confident bunch. That’s why Butler, who personifies the culture of Miami’s basketball franchise, refuses to see the Heat as underdogs against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps:

“A really good team,” Butler said Tuesday, during the NBA Finals media day, of how he views the Heat entering this series. “That’s it. A really good team. Not going to say that we’re any better than anybody else, but I just don’t think that we’re underdogs. I don’t.

After Game 1 of the 2020 NBA Finals, Butler may have to re-evaluate his stance.

Despite Miami getting off to a good start, Davis and James led LA to a blowout victory (116-98). What’s more, the Heat are losing a key player for the rest of the series, with Dragic suffering a plantar tear in his left foot.

The post Jimmy Butler: ‘I Just Don’t Think That We’re Underdogs’ appeared first on SLAM.

“We all think that we’re the better team,” Butler said to the media on Saturday. “We all think that we’re supposed to be here.”

Butler’s Heat are coming off a dominant second-round series victory against the Bucks. Miami needed just five games to eliminate Milwaukee, the best regular-season team this year.

Bulter said the Heat are confident that they can win any series, regardless of who their opponent may be.

“I think that we’re a really good team. We play together. Everybody knows their role,” Butler said. “We just compete. We’re just competitors. So we’re not embracing ‘underdogs.’ I think we’re supposed to be here.”

The Heat will face off against the Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday.

The post ‘We’re Not Underdogs’: Jimmy Butler Says Heat Remain Confident vs Celtics appeared first on SLAM.

The Miami Heat guard spoke candidly about Milwaukee’s tactics with Sam Amick of The Athletic.

I’m not surprised. I look at it like this. He is one of the best help side defenders that there are in the league. And that’s what he’s been doing all year long. And I think you can’t get stuck on what we do. I think you’ve really just got to focus on what you do – you’ve been doing it all year.

[…]

But I’m gonna tell you: You’re not going to be able to leave me, so then that’s taking away their weakside defense. So either way it goes, we’re gonna be in a good spot. We’ve got way more guys who can do what I just did last night better than I can do, so we’ll see.

The buzz around the debate simmered in Game 2 as Butler finished with just 13 points on three field goals but even still, none of those buckets came with Antetokounmpo on him as the primary defender.

First and foremost, it’s necessary to understand the irony of questioning how Mike Budenholzer, a former Coach of the Year, is deploying a Defensive Player of the Year after a season in which they were historically good on defense but Miami’s 2-0 series lead now has everybody searching for answers.

After the first matchup, Antetokounmpo was asked specifically why he wasn’t checking Butler.

“Why would you ask that? I’ll do whatever coach wants me to do,” he told the media.

With Game 3 set to tip off Friday, we could see the debate renewed.

The post Jimmy Butler: ‘We’ve Got Way More Guys Who Can Do What I Just Did’ appeared first on SLAM.

While X-rays and an MRI revealed that there isn’t any structural damage in the sore right foot, there’s no timetable for the veteran’s return. For now, with the postseason fast approaching, Butler will simply rest.

The loss of Butler is significant for a Heat team that could realistically fall between the No. 3 and No. 6 seeds in the Eastern Conference. The team has split both of the games in which he’s sat thus far.

In 56 regular season games for the Heat, Butler averaged 20.2 points 6.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.

The post Foot Injury Continues to Sideline Jimmy Butler appeared first on SLAM.

“The point is we’re right there and we’re a contender, and I’m proud of that,” Riley said in a video released by the team Wednesday.

Miami compiled a 41-24 record, good for the fourth-seed in the Eastern Conference, before the coronavirus global pandemic shut everything down last month.

Per The Miami Herald:

“We had a very, very good basketball team,” Riley said. “Very well-coached, and I think we proved it on the court night in and night out. We overcame some adversity, some injuries. When that happened, next man up. That’s one of [Erik Spoelstra’s] sayings. I think we were [41-24] or something along those lines and headed to home-court advantage in the playoffs. It was a great year. I’m really disappointed that we haven’t seen the finish, especially after we made the trade when we brought in Andre Iguodala, Solomon Hill and Jae Crowder. I thought that was going to give us a little bit of an edge going into the playoffs.”

The NBA playoffs were scheduled to begin April 18, with the Heat owning home-court advantage in a first-round series against the Indiana Pacers based on the current standings.

“For all of us when we started the season, we thought we had something good,” Riley said. “Especially when we had the opportunity to sign Jimmy Butler. We didn’t really know how great Tyler Herro or Kendrick Nunn or Duncan Robinson, Chris Silva at times and a lot of our young guys, Derrick Jones Jr. And having Goran [Dragic] and having Jimmy Butler and having Bam [Adebayo], who has been around three years and having Meyers Leonard and his infectious personality and Kelly Olynyk. For all intents and purposes, I’m so happy that we turned a lot of things around and we found the right players, the right mix of pick-and-roll players, guys that can post up and really found a couple of guys that can shoot the ball — really shoot the ball — so we’re happy for that and we’re really optimistic about moving forward into the future with these players.”

Whether this season is saved or not, Riley’s goal hasn’t changed. At 75 years old, he wants to build another championship team.

“I don’t have much patience. You know me,” Riley said, with the Heat set to have enough cap space to sign a max player in the summer of 2021. “I want to build another championship team and we’re close. Maybe we need another player. Maybe we need less. I don’t know. The point is we’re right there and we’re a contender, and I’m proud of that.”

Related Pat Riley: Heat Drafted Dwyane Wade after a ‘Horrible Workout’

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“I didn’t know who the f**k was in charge,” says Butler.

The five-time NBA All-Star diplomatically called his relationship with Sixers head coach Brett Brown “professional.”

Per The Miami Herald (via “The JJ Redick Podcast With Tommy Alter” podcast):

“It was difficult. It was so different,” Butler said. “On any given day, me as a person and as a player, I didn’t know who the [expletive] was in charge. I think that was my biggest thing. I didn’t know what the [expletive] to expect whenever I would go into the gym, whenever I go into the plane, whenever I got into the game.”

When Butler was asked for the moment he knew he wouldn’t be returning to Philadelphia, he brought up a conversation he had early in the free agency process.

“Somebody told me a main reason that I didn’t go back was because somebody asked, ‘Can you control him? Can you control Jimmy? If you can control Jimmy, we would think about having him back,’” Butler recalled. “I was like, ‘You don’t got to worry about it. Can’t nobody [expletive] control me.’ For one, I ain’t just out there doing no [expletive]. But the fact that you’re trying to control a grown man — nah, I’m cool.”

Butler said he didn’t agree with the coaching staff’s decision to take the ball out of Ben Simmons’ hands late in the season, a move that allowed Butler to run Philadelphia’s offense in the playoffs.

“To this day, I don’t think that was fair to switch over like that,” Butler said. “Even though I think we played great basketball like that, I don’t think it was fair because the entire year, Ben had the ball. The entire year, Ben had the ball. So you mean to tell me that in one playoff series, you just switch it up like that? I would be like he was, I would feel a type of way.”

Related Jimmy Butler: ‘I Didn’t Have a Problem’ With Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons

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Adebayo, 22, is enjoying a breakout season in Miami and earned his first NBA All-Star nod.

Bam has rewarded the organization’s faith in him after they traded away Hassan Whiteside.

Per The Athletic:

“It’s kind of like, it’s the hard work I put in in the summer and it’s my coach seeing how hard I work and it manifesting on the court. I’m able to thank them for putting me in the position to be who I am and who I want to become,” said Adebayo, who joined [Dwyane] Wade as just the second homegrown All-Star in Heat franchise history. “When the trade happened and it gave me an opportunity to really show my game and not have to have a shadow on my back. My first two years I was kind of timid where sometimes I didn’t want to mess up. Coach [Erik Spoelstra] is really letting me off the leash and letting me do my thing.”

Adebayo has been a stunning revelation this season, ascending from his role as a high-energy, change-of-pace performer off the bench to an essential bedrock of a contender.

This season has provided several “Bam, Oh, Bam” moments. He’s had three triple-doubles and 24 double-doubles, with four coming in the points-assist variety. But he’d put Sunday’s 27-point, 14-rebound, six-assist effort in Washington up with any of them — “my coming out party,” Adebayo called it — when he took over after fellow All-Star Butler and Goran Dragic left the game with injuries and scored or assisted on the Heat’s final 25 points.

“That’s what future max players do,” Butler said. “He’s definitely all of that and more. We’re glad to have him. Glad he’s the leader of this team.”

Related Gregg Popovich Told Bam Adebayo He ‘Wasn’t Ready’

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“I didn’t have a problem with either one of them,” says Butler.

The 30-year-old has nicely integrated himself with a Heat squad that unexpectedly emerged as a force in the Eastern Conference this season.

Per Sports Illustrated:

One rumor Butler would like to dispel is the idea that he left Philadelphia because of tension with Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid.

“I didn’t have a problem with either one of them,” he says. “Still talk to those dudes. I wish them the absolute best. A career of great health, make as much money as you can, win as many championships as you can. I did not have a problem with any of those guys. It just didn’t work the way that we wanted it to work. That’s life. Not everything pans out the way you want it to pan out. But you learn and you move on from it.”

Butler isn’t interested in elaborating on what, exactly, didn’t work.

Likewise, asked whether he would still be in Philadelphia if the Sixers had offered him a five-year, $190 million contract in July, he says, “Nobody knows what was offered and what was said. You only know what the media told you.”

Related Jimmy Butler to Joel Embiid: ‘I Know a Place Where Villains Are Welcome’

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Though he’s beyond content plying his trade on a Miami Heat team that’s shattered expectations in 2019-20, Butler told the All-Star Weekend media that an eventual return to Chicago at some hypothetical point in the future, perhaps toward the end of his career, would be a “definite possibility“.

Butler’s first tenure in Chicago came to an end in the summer of 2017 when he was acquired by former Bulls boss Tom Thibodeau then with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Butler joined his coach and a number of ex-teammates from his time with the Bulls then but his love for Chicago remains strong.

Butler explained that he still owns property in Chicago and spends time there in the summer.

As a member of the Bulls, Butler saw seven playoff series in six years. Since his departure from the Windy City, he’s suited up for the Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers and now Heat.

Butler’s 2020 All-Star Game appearances marks the fifth of his career, the first three coming while he was still a member of the Bulls.

The fact that this year’s event is hosted in Chicago gives the shooting guard all the more reason to reflect back on his time with the franchise.

The post Jimmy Butler Shows Love For Chicago appeared first on SLAM.

Embiid agreed, but added that he remains very much committed to Philly.

Butler returned to Miami’s lineup Monday night, leading the Heat to a 113-101 road win against the Golden State Warriors with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Per The AP:

“We look like a totally different team when our max player is out there.” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said of Butler. “He makes it look a little bit smoother, a little bit more settled with our offense. The ball gets to the right places. He finds a way to get to the free throw line. All these things that are necessary when you want to win on the road.”

Butler was crisp after sitting out with a right shoulder strain he suffered against the Clippers on Feb. 5. The All-Star forward scored 13 points in the first half, shot 9 of 15 overall and had five assists to help the Heat end their three-game skid.

“That’s what my team needs me to do, be that way on both ends of the floor,” Butler said. “We have a couple of new guys that are just as effective as I am. It’s really great and it’s really fun to go out there and compete with them.”

Related ‘I Don’t Care How it Looks’: Joel Embiid Shushes Sixers Fans

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Markelle Fultz registered a double-double of 12 points and a career-high 14 assists to beat the Hornets on the road. Teammate Nikola Vucevic added 22 points and 7 rebounds.

Knicks 139 (15-36), Cavaliers 134 (13-38)

Amid swirling trade rumors, New York came out with a win. Marcus Morris Sr. led the team with 26 points. Kevin Love put up 33 points in 41 minutes.

Mavericks 112 (31-19), Pacers 103 (31-19)

It was a battle of the big men as Kristaps Porzingis (38 points, 12 rebounds) and Domantas Sabonis (26 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists) dueled in Indiana. Dallas grew its lead in the second half to secure the victory.

Warriors 125 (12-39), Wizards 117 (17-32)

Golden State enjoyed double-digit scoring from six players, led by Alec Burks’ 30 points. Bradley Beal impressed with 43 points, but fell short of the win.

Celtics 123 (34-15), Hawks 115 (13-38)

Boston featured three 20+ scorers against Atlanta: Jayson Tatum (28 points), Gordon Hayward (24 points) and Jaylen Brown (21 points). Trae Young dropped 34 points and 7 assists for the Hawks.

Suns 97 (20-30), Nets 119 (22-27)

Brooklyn took control after the first quarter, growing their lead to as large as 26. The Nets shot 48% from the field and 44% from deep to sink the Suns. Caris LeVert led Brooklyn with 29 points.

76ers 106 (31-20), Heat 137 (34-15)

Jimmy Butler feasted against his former team. He scored 38 points in the first three quarters, sitting for the entire fourth as the Heat cruised to a win. Goran Dragic also contributed 24 points for Miami.

Pistons 82 (18-34), Grizzlies 96 (25-25)

Jonas Valanciunas set the tempo for Memphis, leading the team with 26 points and 17 rebounds in the home win. Andre Drummond registered a double-double of 25 points and 18 rebounds for Detroit.

Timberwolves 109 (15-34), Kings 113 (19-31)

The losing woes continue for Minnesota, who just dropped their 12th straight game. De’Aaron Fox (31 points) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (23 points) gave Sacramento the scoring edge.

Spurs 105 (22-27), Clippers 108 (35-15)

The Clippers used a late run to retake the lead and beat San Antonio. Paul George (19 points) hit the dagger to put the game out of reach.

The post Post Up: Jimmy Butler Drops 38 Points in Win vs. 76ers appeared first on SLAM.

Butler concurs with the Heat legend’s assessment.

“This is Jimmy Butler’s era,” says Wade, who spent the 2016-17 season playing alongside Butler in Chicago.

Per The Miami Herald and ESPN:

“I think Jimmy has been very clear. Conversations that we had about Miami early on. There are certain people you just know are Miami Heat guys where you know the culture,” Wade said.

“I always thought Jimmy was that. I always thought Jimmy’s personality and his crazy was perfect for Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra’s crazy. So it’s great. One thing I told Jimmy when he got there is, ‘This is Jimmy Butler’s era. Don’t worry about people saying anything about Dwyane Wade. I’m old and retired and gone. You don’t have to worry about me anymore. Focus on what you’re trying to build with Miami in your time there. Don’t ever feel like you have to be me or anybody else that’s come before you. You just have to be Jimmy Butler.’”

After hearing about Wade’s comments, Butler agreed. When asked why he thinks he has the right brand of “crazy” for this Heat team, Butler praised the tough-minded Heat culture that has defined Riley’s tenure in South Beach.

“I think it’s all based off of honesty, truthfulness, hard work and intention,” Butler told ESPN after scoring 24 points, dishing out 10 assists and grabbing 7 rebounds in a 134-129 overtime win over the Washington Wizards. “And I feel like when you talk about myself, you talk about Spo, you talk about Coach Pat, that’s what all of this thing is based off of: how hard you work, how you can keep it real with one another and not take anything personal. It fits for me here. I’m loving it, man. They’re constantly in my ear, and we’re constantly going back and forth, figuring out ways that I can be better. How I can make everybody else better. But this culture — I’m super happy to be here. I’m fortunate to be here, man. This is a great group of guys. It’s a great organization. But like [Wade] said, this is the right type of crazy for me.”

Related Jimmy Butler: TJ Warren ‘Not Even in My F**kin’ League’

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“He’s not even in my f**kin’ league,” an irate Butler told reporters.

Jimmy, who finished with 14 points and seven assists in the Miami Heat’s 122-108 road win over Indiana, is eager for his next matchup with Warren.

Per The Miami Herald:

Butler blew Warren a kiss goodbye and Warren left the court with an obscene gesture undoubtedly intended for Butler.

“To me, I think it’s tough for him because I can guard him and he can’t guard me,” Butler said. “At the end of the day, that’s what it comes down to. You have just got to watch your mouth in certain situations. There’s some [expletive] you just don’t say as a man. He’s got to see me the next time because I feel like what he said was truly disrespectful. It’s all good because we see him again. I ain’t scared of nobody. He’s talking about, ‘We’re going to fight.’

“He’s soft. He’s not even in my [expletive] league, nowhere near me. If I was their coach, I would never put him on me ever again. Put somebody else on me, because I’m going to tear his [butt] up every game.”

Will Butler remember this when the teams meet again March 20 in Indianapolis?

“He can’t do nothing with me,” Butler said. “When I say he’s trash, I mean that. He’s not in my league. I take it as disrespect if you ever put him on me. If he asked for that matchup it’s disrespectful.”

Related Jimmy Butler Mocks Trae Young’s Premature Boast

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Wrong.

Jimmy Butler (20 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists) and the Heat roared back, earning an improbable 135-121 overtime win, and Butler was quick to mock Young’s boast.

Bam Adebayo led the way with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for the first triple-double of his NBA career.

Per The Miami Herald:

“[Adebayo] puts in the time, and now again his confidence and esteem is starting to match the work and things he has been doing within these walls that everybody else is seeing,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But now he’s doing it in clutch situations. That’s why I don’t want to put a ceiling on him either.

“He has a lot on his plate, playing more minutes than he has ever played before. I just want him to embrace all of these different challenges and not get comfortable, which he doesn’t have that kind of mentality.”

The 18 rebounds represent a career-high for Butler. It marked the first time in franchise history that two Heat players have recorded a triple-double in the same game.

“Jimmy and I feed off of each other,” Adebayo said. “He matches my intensity and my standards, and myself vice versa. I feel like we really lock in and lead this club in the right way.”

Related EVERYTHING LITTY: The Miami Heat Are On Fire

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This was a really solid team effort by Charlotte, with all five starters scoring double digits, as well as Cody Zeller chipping in 14 and 10 off the bench on an efficient 5-6 shooting. Devonte’ Graham continued his absurd breakout season, scoring 29 points, dishing 6 assists and splashing 6 treys.

The Wiz kept it close, thanks mostly to Davis Bertans’ scorching hot hand from deep. The former Spurs forward hit 8-12 from three for 32 points and 9 boards off the bench. Dude is a certified sniper, and one of his threes had Rui Hachimura pretending to give CPR to Bradley Beal on the bench.

But it was not enough, as Miles Bridges drained a dagger corner 3-pointer to seal the win.

76ers 97 (18-7), Nuggets 92 (14-8)

The 76ers are an incredible 13-0 at home after narrowly defeating the Nuggets. Rookie Matisse Thybulle, already one of the stauncher perimeter defenders in the league, was an incredible spark plug off the bench, hitting three 3-pointers and recording a +20 plus/minus. Joel Embiid stuffed the stat sheet per usual, with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, as well as this acrobatic trick shot and subsequent shimmy.

The Nuggets lost Jamal Murray five minutes into the game, but all indications are the injury is nothing serious. Will Barton did an admirable job of picking up the slack, scoring Denver’s first 13 points of the game and compiling a fantasy player’s ideal stat line of 26 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks.

Heat 135 (18-6), Hawks 121 (6-18)

What a game. We had OT, the Heat going on a 22-0 run to bring their home record to 11-0, Duncan Robinson draining a career-high TEN 3-pointers and a Jimmy Butler cold blooded shot.

It was an awesome game, and the Heat have Robinson (34 points), Butler (20 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists), Bam Adebayo (30 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) and Kendrick Nunn (36 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists) to thank. It’s rare when that many players have such ridiculous nights for the same team.

Blazers 115 (10-15), Knicks 87 (4-20)

Yup, David Fizdale really was the problem.

On a serious note, it would be pretty difficult for the best NBA coaches to field a winning record with a Knicks team that just dropped to 4-20 at the hands of the Blazers. It was a demolition derby out there.

Damian Lillard was his usual excellent self, scoring 31 points, dishing 6 assists and bombing 8 3-pointers, while Hassan Whiteside put together a busy stat line with 17 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks. Also, sweet revenge for Melo, who must have been enjoying himself.

The post Post Up: Jimmy Butler Ices Shot as Heat Best Hawks in OT appeared first on SLAM.

GOIN’ UP. HEAT WAVE. THE COLDEST

SLAM 225 highlights rising stars at every level of basketball. The issue has features on three ridiculous high school hoopers pushing the culture forward (Sharife Cooper/Josh Christopher/Jalen Green), a certified bucket out in Atlanta (Trae Young), Miami’s new fire squad (Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro), a future UConn Huskie with the swaggiest game in the country (Paige Bueckers), two young ascending NBA guards (Devonte’ Graham and Collin Sexton) and much more. Pull out posters of Luka Doncic and Elene Delle Donne included. COP UP!

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 225

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We thought we were ready to start shooting. The strobe lights and C-stands were set in their proper positions. The seamless background paper had been unfurled, stabilized and secured to the ground so that when the three Heat players were to arrive inside our designated room (the old WNBA’s Miami Sol locker room), they’d be able to step right on set and begin their cover shoot immediately. It didn’t quite happen that way, though.

On this Monday afternoon in early November, the AmericanAirlines Arena in downtown Miami is bustling with foot traffic throughout its event level hallways. The arena operations crew is breaking down the stage equipment and seating that had been occupying the event floor all weekend when motivational speaker Tony Robbins came to town for four shows in four days. The Heat were on a three-game west coast trip during that period. Workers wheel out sets of chairs and stage equipment through the hallways, preparing the arena for tomorrow’s home game against the Detroit Pistons. 

In the midst of all the movement and clamor, we realize that the three official NBA game balls needed for our shoot have yet to arrive to the room when Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro begin walking in. The team’s PR representative quickly steps out to track down the basketballs. Without them, the shoot is on halt.

Jimmy, Bam and Tyler stand around waiting in the meantime. The players’ moods could understandably turn sour at any moment. They’re fresh off practice. They’re probably hungry and/or tired. And standing in the way of food and rest is a photoshoot that is currently on hold until three basketballs arrive on set. 

Yet, the mood in the room is everything but sour. Jimmy has decided to take over DJ duties, and now blaring through his phone’s speaker is country music. Lots of it. For the next 20 minutes, we listen to Edwin McCain’s “Walk With You” and Bob Carlisle’s “Butterfly Kisses” and everything in between. Jimmy would later go on to name Luke Bryan, Luke Comb, Jimmy Allen and Kane Brown among his other favorite country artists at the moment. The only time the music genre changes during our shoot is when Bam decides he’s had enough of Jimmy’s country tunes and counters it by playing music on his own phone simultaneously from the opposite side of the room.

“He listens to this one all the time though, bro,” says Bam while shaking his head. “Me? I listen to soul—soul!” He then proceeds to play Bell Biv DeVoe’s “Poison” while making eye contact with Jimmy and bopping his head. Jimmy smiles back. 

Back to the beginning of the shoot, though.

We’re all sitting there listening to Jimmy’s country music playlist while waiting for basketballs to arrive. Suddenly, Butler decides it’s time to begin the shoot—with or without the balls—and simply starts art directing.

He begins by laying on the floor on his left side, with his right arm on his hip and his left arm in a 90-degree angle while resting his head on his hand—encouraging the photographer to snap away. Bam, joining in on the joke, stands behind him and places his right foot on Jimmy’s leg. Tyler, unsure if he is really supposed to participate or just wait for the PR rep to return, decides to stay seated in a nearby locker. 

“Come on, T! It’s a photo shoot! Be a part of the team,” a cheerful Jimmy yells. 

Tyler gets up and walks over to him. Jimmy changes his pose. This time he lays flat on his stomach, both hands under his chin with his elbows on the floor and his legs kicked up. He sports a huge smile from ear to ear and faces the camera. Bam stands behind him, softly resting his right foot on Jimmy’s back. Tyler stands next to Bam with his two arms out holding peace signs.

Jimmy then quickly gets ups and yells, “Oh, I got it! Look! Let’s do the cheerleading pyramid! I’ll be on top!”

No, the team’s PR rep isn’t back yet. It’s only been, like, a minute. But in the past 60 seconds alone the energy in the room has skyrocketed exponentially. It’s like when the teacher steps out of the classroom for a little bit and the kids in the room decide it’s party time.  

Jimmy places his hands on his teammate’s backs, motioning for them to get down so that he could climb on top to complete the pyramid. “Hell no!” yells Bam. A light-hearted debate ensues. Bam argues that Tyler should be on top since he weighs less. Jimmy insists that he wants to be on top—it’s his idea after all. They turn to Tyler to settle the debate. Tyler volunteers to be on the bottom. Jimmy raises both of his arms up, fists pumped in the air. “Ahhh!” Bam disapproves of Tyler’s decision and refuses to participate. Jimmy once again motions for both to get down. Tyler is ready to oblige and begins setting his knees on the floor. And then in walks the team’s PR rep. He’s holding the three basketballs but his attention quickly turns to what his players are trying to do. Jimmy says they must complete the pyramid before the real shoot can start. 

“Hey, don’t you remember what we just learned in media training?!” the PR rep tells them, smiling. “Really?!” 

“This is a great photo,” Jimmy responds. 

“This is not a great photo!” Bam says, laughing.

Jimmy agrees to be on the bottom and lets Tyler be on top, in order to get the photo to finally happen. “Give me an M. M! Give me an I. I!” Jimmy yells.

“I’m telling y’all right now, I do not approve of this,” the PR rep tells the trio while laughing and shaking his head. 

It’s a light-hearted moment and everyone gets a good laugh from it. The real shoot will now commence. But in between the jokes lies an obvious truth.  

The bond within this team is genuine. It’s not a front. They really click and they’re fun to be around. This trio, specifically, appears to have strong chemistry—especially when you consider that two of them just joined the team this past summer and that they’re barely one month into the regular season when this shoot is happening.   

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 225 FEATURING THE HEAT

They could have easily lost interest in the shoot while waiting for the basketballs to arrive. It would have been understandable—they were coming off practice after just returning from a west coast trip. They could have just chosen not to interact with anyone until the PR rep returned. They could have just kept to themselves, strictly business and formal, as many NBA shoots are.   

But Jimmy is just genuinely too happy at the moment for all of that, and so instead he figures out a way to keep everyone loose and engaged while we wait. 

Jimmy chose this destination and couldn’t look more pleased with the decision and where he’s at in life right now. After a couple of years of trying to find himself and where he fits within the team, Bam is primed for a breakout season and the national notoriety he rightfully deserves. And Tyler—after watching many teams on the draft board pass on him last spring, he’s landed in a perfect spot that has allowed him to flourish early on in the season.  

It’s a new era in Miami basketball, where the same tough-minded Heat culture continues to thrive, while new faces form a gritty but tight-knit environment that looks to take the franchise into its newest chapter. 

Butler raised eyebrows during the summer when he decided to sign with the Heat as a free agent. Miami has missed the playoffs in two of the past three seasons, and three of the past five. Playoff teams like the Clippers and Rockets were rumored to be in pursuit of him, along with the 76ers, who were looking to re-sign him to a max deal. But Butler chose the franchise that had finished 10th in the East last season instead. Haters claimed that winning wasn’t a priority to him and that he didn’t have championship aspirations.

Fast forward four and a half months and Butler has a lot to smile about. He’s already dispelled any of the narratives that his foes tried to spark during the summer. The Heat are 14-5, which is tied for the best start in franchise history through 19 games. Butler has helped bring back a winning culture to South Beach. And a championship is indeed the ultimate goal within the locker room. 

So yes, Jimmy Butler has every reason to be smiling from ear to ear while art directing pyramid poses during our cover shoot. He’s found the perfect home. Heat legend Dwyane Wade described Butler in early October as the epitome of “a Miami Heat culture guy.” The hard-nosed, demanding, no-nonsense culture that team president Pat Riley has built goes perfectly with Butler’s intense blue-collar work ethic. 

“It’s real and it’s not for everybody,” says Butler of the culture that attracted him to Miami. “But it’s for the three people that are sitting right here. We love it and it’s great to be in the trenches with all the guys we get to be in the trenches with. It’s tough, but when the times really get hard, we know what we can bank on to take us over the edge—whether it be the physical toughness, the mental toughness. Emotionally, we’re ready for any and everything anybody throws at us.”

He continues: “We got a lot of dogs. A lot of guys that feel like they got something to prove. That’s what I’m rocking with. We got people you can talk to, and it might be in a harsh way sometimes, but it’s never personal. You say what you have to say and you move on because y’all still have the same goal in mind and that’s to win. Everybody works relentlessly here. If you don’t, you wouldn’t come here or they wouldn’t bring you here. I think that’s why we all get along so well. We like being around one another because we all think alike, we all work the same, and that’s the common goal. Me and my guys.”

He arrived to the first day of Heat training camp at 3:30 am. The news went viral. For Butler, though, it was just another early morning routine. While appearing as a guest on Vince Carter’s “Winging It” podcast in early November, he noted that he usually goes to sleep at 7 pm on non-game days. When asked about it during our shoot, he confirmed. 

“I do, because I wake up so early to work. I don’t really do nothing at night. During the year, [because of] games we play, I go to sleep later. But if we just got practice or something, and it’s not a long day like today is, I’ma sleep,” he says. 

“I need my nine [hours of sleep]. It’s not a game. If I don’t get my nine, you can count me out.”

Tyler Herro, meanwhile, is new to all of this. The rookie found himself having to adjust to the Heat culture immediately. 

“Oh, we threw him in the fire—day 1! First day of pickup we made him guard Jimmy!” says Bam while bursting into laughter.    

Butler and Herro then proceed to debate who won the most games between their respective teams during that practice.

“I was killing you,” says Butler playfully, with a smirk on his face. 

“I wasn’t scoring?” Herro responds. 

“You weren’t scoring on me!” Butler counters.

The chemistry between the two teammates is glaring, despite the 11-year age difference. 

“I think both of them have really been like big brothers to me. Bam, just coming from Kentucky. We’ve had similar paths. And Jimmy, he took me under his wing since this summer and really pushing me and showing me the right ways, giving me confidence and really just putting me in the right spots,” Herro tells SLAM. “They threw me in the fire first day Jimmy was in Miami. Had to guard him in pickup. I thought I did pretty well but they just wanted to see how I would react. They were going at me but it was fun.”

Butler flew Herro into Chicago during the summertime to work out with him. The two quickly developed a bond. 

“To tell the truth, it’s been the same shit different day with this kid down here,” says Butler of Herro. “He’s always one of the first ones in the gym. Always one of the last ones to leave. And that’s the marking to the beginning of a true pro—a great player at that. He’s going to continue to be who he is and show why he’s going to be in this League for a long time.” 

The work has already paid dividends early on. In only the fourth game of the season, Herro exploded for 29 points against the Atlanta Hawks—the most by a Heat rookie since D-Wade. He’s been one of the most consistent rookie performers in the League thus far this season. 

And then there’s Bam—the only returning Heat player of the trio. He’s enjoying the best season of his career so far. As of this writing, he’s averaging 13.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game—career-highs in every single category.

He humbly brushes off the numbers. Butler intervenes. 

“Don’t be humble, tell them how you do everything well! Because he does. He won’t say it. I’ll say it,” says Butler. “He works super hard and he’s everywhere on the floor. You need him to pass it, he can pass it. He needs to shoot the corner three ball more. He rebounds, he handles the ball, he sets great screens. You can’t take him off the floor. He’s a key part to what we want to do and what we will continue to do. Spo [head coach Erik Spoelstra] knows—in order to win, you gotta have Bam out there on the floor.” 

Although the numbers are definitely welcoming for Bam, he’s more interested in discussing the dynamic of this team. He doesn’t answer the question regarding his career-high stats after Butler chimes in. Now in his third year with the Heat, Bam would much rather talk about the transformation he’s witnessed this season among the entire squad. 

“This team has more intensity around it. It’s more—I don’t know the word to describe the aura around it but it’s like a lot [more] hype around us. We enjoy each other’s success. I feel like that’s a big thing about us. We’re pure about it. And we’re not scared to talk to one another. Like Jimmy said, it might come off rude, but at the end of the day we all have one goal in mind. It wasn’t like that my first two years,” says Bam. “It was more like our team was kind of cliquey; like three people over here and three people over here. This team, everybody is one whole unit. And that’s how it’s supposed to be.”

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 225 FEATURING THE HEAT

Franklyn Calle is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @FrankieC7.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson and via Getty.

The post EVERYTHING LITTY: The Miami Heat Are On Fire 🔥 appeared first on SLAM.

Jimmy Butler scored a team-high 20 points in Brooklyn. Bam Adebayo finished with a double-double (17 points, 16 rebounds).

Grizzlies 115 (6-13), Timberwolves 107 (10-9)

With Ja Morant still out, Dillion Brooks filled in the void on offense, leading all scorers with 26 points. Jae Crowder, Jaren Jackson Jr and Tyus Jones had 12 apiece. Grayson Allen had 13 off the bench.

Celtics 113 (14-5), Knicks 104 (4-16)

Jayson Tatum (30 piece) and Jaylen Brown (28 points) combined for 58 points at The Garden. Kemba Walker had 16 points and 10 dimes.

Mavericks 114 (13-6), Lakers 100 (17-3)

With Dirk courtside, the Mavs snapped the Lakers’ 10-game winning streak. Luka Doncic scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half, and Kristaps Porzingis finished with 15 points. Dallas trailed at the half, but went on a 28-5 run in the third quarter.

Don't sleep on Luka's bunnies. (via @NBATV)pic.twitter.com/m3pap4wsNg

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 1, 2019

Thunder 107 (8-11), Pelicans 104 (6-14)

Four of five of OKC’s starters scored in double figures with Danilo Gallinari scoring a team-high 23 points. Dennis Schroeder had 17 points off the bench.

Pistons 132 (7-13), Spurs 98 (7-14)

Christian Wood had himself a night, scoring a career-high 28 points in 22 minutes at home. The Pistons had 75 bench points.

Raptors 130 (15-4), Jazz 110 (12-8)

Pascal Siakam put up 35 points in 35 minutes in Toronto on Sunday night. Fred Vanvleet was the team’s second-leading scorer with 21 points to give Toronto a 9-0 record at home.

Magic 100 (8-11), Warriors 96 (4-17)

Evan Fournier finished with 32 points, tying his career-high, in Orlando against the Dubs. Terrence Ross put up 19 points and Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac had 14 apiece.

Clippers (15-6) , Wizards (6-12)

Kawhi Leonard (34 points) and Paul George (31) combined for 65 points in front of their home crowd on Sunday night. Montrezl Harrell finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds off the bench.

The post Post Up: Luka Doncic & Mavericks Snap Lakers’ 10-Game Winning Streak in LA appeared first on SLAM.

The Sixers reportedly didn’t offer the 30-year-old star a five-year, max deal when he became an unrestricted free agent in the summer.

“I don’t regret nothing,” Butler says, adding that he’s very happy in South Beach.

Per The Athletic:

“Obviously, something happened,” Butler told The Athletic while lacing up his boots after the 76ers’ woodshed-worthy, 113-86 beatdown at Wells Fargo Center. “We’re not going to say what it was. We’re not going to go into detail. We can’t keep living on that. They can’t. But I’m happy, man. It brings me joy, being around this group of guys (in Miami). I don’t regret nothing, you feel me?”

Despite serenading him with chants of “Jimmy!” the last time he played in this arena only a few months ago, Butler was jeered loudly every time he touched the ball.

“I wasn’t on no bullshit,” Butler said of his six-month stint with the organization. “I still saw a lot of my jerseys up there in the stands. I still had people smiling as I signed stuff, as I took photos.

“I didn’t do too much wrong by the fanbase here,” Butler said.  “Nobody knows what really went on, besides the organization and myself. My agent. And my people. I don’t know how to take it. They’re diehard fans. I’m not here no more. I’m the enemy. I mean, you don’t got to like me ‘cause I’m on the other team. I’m OK with that. I really am. They don’t know what’s going on. I love fans. I love my fans. But you don’t know what happened.”

Related Ben Simmons: ‘Chemistry is Much Better’ This Season in Philly

The post Jimmy Butler: ‘Obviously, Something Happened’ Leading to Philly Exit appeared first on SLAM.

Miami is off to a 10-3 start, and Butler says no one “wants to play against us.”

“We can’t keep surprising people,” Butler told reporters Wednesday night.

“We’re for real. I don’t think anybody wants to play against us and that’s the way we want to keep it.”

Per The Athletic:

“Are we still surprising people now? Because if we are, bigger surprises to come,” Butler said. “I know we may not have the most talent every night. That’s OK. We’ve got some dogs. We got some people, we ain’t backing down, ever. We don’t care if we on TV, not on TV. We don’t care if we playing in the G League arena. We don’t care. We not backing down. We with the smoke. We with it. We want it. Let’s go.”

The Heat has some appeal as a potential party-pooper on the expected Milwaukee-Philadelphia showdown in the Eastern Conference finals. Butler thinks Miami can be much more than that.

“The ceiling is a championship. And I don’t care what nobody has to say,” Butler said. “If the stars align, we can get it done. If we figure this thing out, we stay together, we get our defense on track, we get our offense on track, and we become top five in both categories, we right there. We right there. We’ve got an opportunity to do something special and we’re working at it every single day.

“We’re not worried about how many young guys we got. How many young guys we got. We’re just worried about us, as a unit, as a whole. Coach [Erik Spoelstra] is great, great, in so many areas of the game. He studies it, like a madman, because he’s a madman. And it’s even better because we’ve got a bunch of guys that’s obsessed with this shit. I’m not saying there aren’t a lot of guys around league that our obsessed with it. I’m saying we got some muthafuckas that, it’s only so much you can study, but if there is any way that you can, they studied it. We studied it. It’s a special group. You may not know many of their names. I know care, they don’t care, we don’t care. You’ll know sooner or later.”

Related Jimmy Butler: ‘Motherf****rs Act Like I’m Not a Good Basketball Player’

The post ‘We’re for Real’: Jimmy Butler Lauds Miami’s Hot Start appeared first on SLAM.

Simmons, who hit the first three-pointer of his NBA career Wednesday night, says Sixers teammates “are giving up their time to bond.”

Head coach Brett Brown wants the 23-year-old NBA All-Star bombing away from beyond the arc—”on his time frame”—which is designed to give superstar teammate Joel Embiid more room to operate.

Per ESPN:

“Definitely,” Simmons told ESPN. “The chemistry is much better. Guys are giving up their time to bond.”

There is an unavoidable dissonance between how a team built around Simmons would play compared to a team built around Embiid. The Sixers’ internal data indicates Embiid trails the play on 90% of possessions, Brown says. He cautions Simmons about sprinting Embiid out of the offense. “The game can sometimes run past Joel,” Brown told ESPN last season.

Brown says he has designed plays specifically for Simmons to shoot corner 3s; Simmons had taken none until draining his first career triple against the Knicks Wednesday night. “I want him in the corners,” Brown says. “I want him shooting 3s — on his time frame.”

But if Simmons arrives in the low zone, he needs to stay there, Brown says. “Two inches outside that, and it’s the dead zone,” Brown says. “You’re killing plays. You’re in Joel’s way. You will either be in the corner, or the low zone. Anything else is unacceptable.”

Related Ben Simmons: ‘I’m Confident in Saying I’m Not a Great Shooter’

The post Ben Simmons: ‘Chemistry is Much Better’ This Season in Philly appeared first on SLAM.

Stephenson, currently toiling away in China, appeared to take offense at Butler’s assessement of his game.

Jimmy says he’s happy to settle this most unexpected feud of the young NBA season with a one-on-one battle.

Per The Sun-Sentinel (via the “Winging It” podcast):

“I was watching guys play, and I was like, ‘I know I’m not that good of a basketball player, but I know I can make it if this guy can make it,’ ” Butler reminisced. “I always saw Lance Stephenson. I saw him, and I was like, ‘Nah man, if he in the league then I can be in the league. He is a talented-a– player, don’t get me wrong, but if he can do it, I can do it.”

Butler initially attempted to blow off Stephenson’s post after the Heat completed their preparations for Tuesday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center, before opening up.

“I’m not worried about him,” Butler said. “They asked me a question, I answered the question. Take it for how you want to take it. If he wants a one-on-one battle, I’m all for it. I don’t think at this point, this is just me being honest, right now, me in my career, he in his, he’s not better than me. So, I’m willing to play one-on-one if that’s what, I don’t know, he wants to see, the world wants to see, whatever.

“I’m not intimidated by his tweet. I don’t think it was so much personal, that’s just how I thought back then. I don’t think the same way now, only because I know that I’m a better player.”

Related Jimmy Butler: ‘Motherf****rs Act Like I’m Not a Good Basketball Player’

The post Jimmy Butler ‘Willing to Play One-on-One’ vs Lance Stephenson appeared first on SLAM.

“Mother——s act like I’m not a good basketball player,” Butler says, the implication being there’s no reason to doubt he can carry the Heat as unquestionably The Man in South Beach.

The 30-year-old four-time NBA All-Star adds that “nobody knows what really went on in Philly” last season that led to his exit.

Per Yahoo Sports:

“Mother——s act like I’m not a good basketball player,” Butler told Yahoo Sports. “Like for real. Just think about that. Like I can’t come in and make a huge difference. I’m not going to say ‘carry a team’ because nobody can do it by themselves and I mean that. I’m not putting it all on myself, but I know what I’m capable of. I know what I bring to any and all situations, and the group of guys that we have is the group of guys that I want to play with.

“When I look down the line and as we’re talking about it as an organization on this roster, I know what these guys are capable of. These guys are built like me. We’re one in the same and so they’re only going to get better and they’re not going to get complacent. This is me. I see myself in every one of these guys around this locker room.”

Butler was pressed on what happened [with the Sixers], but refused to shed more light on the situation.

“Just go with your gut. You’re not dumb. All of that will come out whenever it’s time,” he told Yahoo Sports. “Right now is not the time. I’m locked in with this. I’m happy, man. I’m smiling and my guys want me to be here, my organization wants me to be here, I want to be here and we’re going to ride this thing until the wheels fall off. I’m not saying Philly wasn’t great, man. We had some really good players. I talk to Joel [Embiid] damn near every f—–g day. It’s a brotherhood, man. I love that guy. I’m going to always have his back and I know he’ll always have mine.”

Related Joel Embiid Wishes Jimmy Butler ‘Was Still on the Team’

The post Jimmy Butler: ‘Motherf****rs Act Like I’m Not a Good Basketball Player’ appeared first on SLAM.

Jimmy Buckets made his debut and dropped 21 as the Heat cruised to their third win of the season. The rookie Tyler Herro shined, finishing with 29 points on 7-9 shooting and 3-4 from downtown.

The Hawks were led by John Collins, who finished with a game-high 30 points (10-17 FG) in the loss. Trae Young went down in the second quarter with an ankle injury and did not return. Thankfully, X-rays were negative and it’s being called a right ankle sprain. Hoping for a speedy recovery, Trae was hooping to start the season.

Mavericks 109 (3-1), Nuggets 106 (3-1)

The Mavericks outscored the Nuggets 26-18 in the fourth quarter to pick up a statement win on the road. It was a full team effort for Dallas, with nine players scoring in double figures. They were led by Tim Hardaway Jr. and Maxi Kleber, who both dropped 14 apiece off the bench.

Paul Millsap led the nuggets with a game-high 23 points to go along with 8 rebounds. The Joker added a clean triple double, finishing with 10 points, 10 boards, and 10 assists in the loss.

Lakers 120 (3-1), Grizzlies 91 (1-3)

Lakers fans, meet AD.

Anthony Davis had the best game of his young Laker career tonight, going OFF for 40 points and 20 rebounds in just three quarters (31 minutes). Davis set the franchise record with 26 free throws made and became the first Laker since Shaq in 2003 to post a 40-point, 20-rebound game. It’s safe to say the AD era has officially begun in LA.

Lebron added 23 points and 8 assists in the blowout Lakers win. Ja Morant led the Grizzlies, dropping 16 points in the loss.

The post Post Up: Anthony Davis’ Monster Night Leads Lakers to Win appeared first on SLAM.

The Miami Heat have announced that star guard Jimmy Butler will miss the team’s season opener for personal reasons. The team is scheduled to host the Memphis Grizzlies at the American Airlines Center at 7:30 pm EST.

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that head coach Erik Spoelstra says “everything’s fine” and that “the truth will come out” but the absence will put the Heat to the test in their opening matchup. Butler was at the team’s morning shootaround, Winderman says.

Butler was the prized addition that the Heat landed over the course of the summer and his absence will create an opportunity for Tyler Herro to see more minutes in his NBA debut.

Dion Waiters, suspended by the team, is also unavailable to play.

The post Jimmy Butler Sidelined To Miss Opener For Personal Reasons appeared first on SLAM.

Embiid knew he could on Butler to deliver critical offense in the fourth quarter.

The big fella says Jimmy opting to join the Miami Heat as an unrestricted free agent “was a big loss” for the Sixers

Per NBC Sports:

“It was a big loss because me and him, we got to the point where we were really close – we’re still close,” Embiid told ESPN.

“We talk a lot, that’s my guy, that’s my brother forever. I wish he was still on the team, because I feel like the relationship that I built with him could have gone a long way. When it was the fourth quarter, we knew the ball would either be in me or Jimmy’s hands. I knew I could count on him. This year it kind of changes around. Now other guys have to step up and I have to do more.”

Even with the loss of Butler, the Sixers are one of the favorites to come out of the East.

“I think we should be up there. Obviously, we still have to prove ourselves. We lost a big piece in Jimmy, he did a lot of great things for us, but we should be up there. On paper, we got a really good team so now it’s on us to go out there and actually prove it.”

Related Joel Embiid: ‘My Production Has Got to Go Up in the Playoffs Instead of Going Down’

The post Joel Embiid Wishes Jimmy Butler ‘Was Still on the Team’ appeared first on SLAM.

Wiggins, 24, “worked really hard this summer” and is feeling extremely confident going into training camp.

He adds that he’s looking forward to playing a full season for Ryan Saunders (“a players’ coach.”)

Per Sportsnet (via SKOR North):

“I feel like my first three years I was on the rise and was getting better and better and then some changes were made,” Wiggins said. “I worked really hard this summer, and I’m as confident as I was when I first came into the league.”

The change Wiggins referred to is likely the big move Thibodeau made in the summer of 2017 to acquire Jimmy Butler, a player Thibodeau helped coach and develop while with the Chicago Bulls.

“All the yelling and stuff, I feel, is not going to really change my mood,” Wiggins said of what style of coaching gets the best out of him. “But when a coach comes at me and is real and tells me the real I feel like I respect that a lot more than anyone just yelling. Because anyone can yell, anyone can raise their voice, but not a lot of people can be real. So that goes a long way for me.”

At only 33 years old, Saunders is the youngest coach in the NBA, something that Wiggins says has helped acclimate himself to the Timberwolves players well.

“He’s a players’ coach for sure,” said Wiggins. “He has a great energy about him and I feel like a lot of guys can relate because he’s not too much older than us and I feel like he gets us.”

Related T-Wolves GM: Andrew Wiggins Has ‘Got to Be a Main Contributor’

The post Andrew Wiggins: ‘I’m as Confident as I Was When I First Came Into the League’ appeared first on SLAM.

Instead, Butler found his way to the Miami Heat via sign-and-trade, where he agreed to a four-year, $142 million deal.

The 29-year-old, four-time NBA All-Star averaged 18.2 points (19.4 in the playoffs) during his lone season with the Sixers.

Per NBC Sports Philadelphia and ESPN:

Butler’s trip to Miami was not a leverage play. A source close to the situation says Butler was indeed offered the five-year, $190 million full max from Philly, but Butler wanted to move on. And perhaps the Sixers put the offer on the table with the understanding that Butler wouldn’t take it.

The Heat are sending center Hassan Whiteside to the Portland Trail Blazers, guard Josh Richardson to the Philadelphia 76ers and a protected 2023 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers to secure the salary-cap flexibility to complete the sign-and-trade deal with the 76ers, league sources tell ESPN.

The Dallas Mavericks had interest in acquiring Heat guard Goran Dragic in a previous, three-team construction of the Butler sign-and-trade, but they “changed course,” Dragic’s agent, Bill Duffy, told ESPN.

“In analyzing it, his salary was too high based on other things they’re trying to do,” Duffy told ESPN.

Related Jimmy Butler: ‘I Will Get a Max Contract Anywhere I Choose to Go’

The post Report: Jimmy Butler Turned Down the Sixers’ Max Offer appeared first on SLAM.

The Clips will join the Heat, Sixers and Blazers in the elaborate swap.

In the sign-and-trade, the Philadelphia 76ers will bring back 25-year-old swingman Josh Richardson, a satisfactory consolation prize for the outgoing Butler.

The Miami Heat will get Butler, as well as Meyers Leonard and Maurice Harkless from Portland while sending center Hassan Whiteside out to the Blazers. Moe Harkless won’t remain with the Heat for long, however, as he’s L.A. bound.

The Clippers will take Harkless’ contract in exchange for a future first-round pick, which ESPN’s Bobby Marks figures could be their 2023 first.

The post Jimmy Butler Sign-And-Trade Evolves Into Four-Team Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Update #1, July 1, 1:04 am: I’ve kept it there for posterity but Dallas’ involvement in this deal seems to be off the table. Tim Cato of The Athletic details the miscommunication between the parties. We will now wait for Miami to salvage this, either with Dallas or another third team.

The Miami Heat are finalizing a deal to acquire Jimmy Butler in a sign-and-trade, Shams Charnia of The Athletic reports. Headed to the Philadelphia 76ers in the swap is swingman Josh Richardson.

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that Goran Dragic will be sent to the Dallas Mavericks in order to make the numbers work. Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News confirms the Dragic inclusion.

Contrary to previous reports, the Heat will not be sending Goran Dragic to Dallas. According the Times’ Marc Stein, the Mavs fear jeopardizing their flexibility later in the summer.

Heading to Dallas in the three-team swap will be Kelly Olynyk and Derrick Jones, Marc Stein of the New York Times writes.

We wrote in our free agency briefing that Butler was eager and ready to tell the Heat that he wished to play for their franchise earlier today, the only thing the Heat needed to do was work out a scenario with Philadelphia that would meet salary cap rules.

While Sixers fans will be sad to see the ultracompetitive swing take his talents to South Beach, they’ll add an underrated wing that averaged 15.6 points per game last season. The 25-year-old Richardson will earn $10.1 million.

The deal that Butler will take with him to his new squad is a four-year pact worth $142 million. That’s the max that a player signing with a new team is eligible to make. Even though Butler inked the deal with his incumbent team, sign-and-trade deals prohibit a player on the move from getting that extra year.

The post Miami Heat Finalizing Deal To Acquire Jimmy Butler In Sign-And-Trade appeared first on SLAM.

Jimmy Butler has scheduled meetings with two teams and will be pursued by several more. The swingman is being floated as a potential sign-and-trade chip as well as a coveted free agency target.

Below we’ve summarized and outlined various reports that have come in about the superstar’s potential landing spot. Other teams may be interested in Butler but these are the teams that we feel have the most traction.

As news breaks and we learn more about where Butler stands regarding free agency, we’ll update this briefing. Similarly, if other teams appear to gain ground in their own pursuit of Butler, we’ll add them here.

Philadelphia 76ers

Salary Cap Room: $0

The Sixers technically are over the salary cap thanks to the cap holds for Butler ($30.7M), Tobias Harris (22.0M), and J.J. Redick ($15.9M). If things go the way Philadelphia hopes, they’ll re-sign all three via Bird Rights (Early Bird for Redick; Butler and Harris with full Bird) and won’t have cap space at any point this offseason.

Both Butler and Harris are expected to garner max deals. The Sixers remain focused on bringing both players back, though competition for each players’ services will be fierce.

The fifth year on Jimmy Butler’s potential max contract could be considered to be a trump card for Philly. If the Sixers offer it, he signs or at least that’s what some within the league believe. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported in an Instagram story that Philadelphia may be hesitant on offering that final year and perhaps that is why Butler is meeting with other teams to begin free agency.

Miami Heat

Salary Cap Room: $0

The Heat are meeting with Jimmy Butler to open free agency and he is expected to tell them that he wants to play in Miami. If Pat Riley wants to welcome him into the organization, he’ll then have to work with the Sixers to find a sign-and-trade deal to their liking.

Philadelphia is open to a sign-and-trade should Butler choose a team without the requisite cap room to sign him outright and while it’ll be better for the franchise to get something in return for an outgoing player, the team isn’t going to simply take just any deal.

Josh Richardson is reportedly among the players on the table in Butler sign-and-trad scenarios. Miami is unable to trade their 2020 or 2022 draft pick, having already sent out its 2021 selection previously, so it might be difficult for them to dictate terms with Philadelphia.

Los Angeles Clippers

Salary Cap Room: $52,928,034

The Clippers are toying with the idea of adding Butler along with Kawhi Leonard if the Finals MVP decides to join Steve Ballmer’s team. Los Angeles appears to have some trepidation about adding Butler on a four-year max deal, though if Leonard joins him, the duo’s upside will be too great to worry about Butler’s age concerns on the back end of his max.

As we mentioned in Kawhi Leonard’s briefing, the Clippers have the ability to carve out max slots for two players, though they still need to make additional moves to do so.

Houston Rockets

Salary Cap Room: $0

Houston is another team needing the Sixers to play ball on a sign-and-trade in order to land Butler. General manager Daryl Morey’s Plan A is to convince Butler that playing with James Harden and Chris Paul is the best move for the four-time All-Star’s career.

The Rockets have reportedly put Eric Gordon, P.J. Tucker and Clint Capela on the table in potential sign-and-trades with the Sixers. Salary cap rules may prevent Philadelphia from taking more than roughly $20M back in such a deal and Houston is prepared for the scenario, already lining up a potential three-way deal with another team that sends them Capela.

Brooklyn Nets

Salary Cap Room: $32,655,942

Butler and Kyrie Irving, who will sign with the Nets, have previously been rumored to have interest in playing together. Kevin Durant appears to be the top target for Brooklyn’s other star spot, though if he chooses the Knicks or another team, I wouldn’t rule out Butler moving two hours north (on a good day of traffic).

As mentioned in Durant’s free agency briefing, the Nets do not yet have enough cap room to sign two max players, though they can easily make additional moves to get there. Butler will be an easier addition cap-wise than Durant, as the starting salary on his max comes in at $5.46M less than Durant’s.

Los Angeles Lakers

Salary Cap Room:  $  32,149,063

The Lakers are still in search of a third star to add to the LeBron James-Anthony Davis pairing and Marc Stein of The New York Times hears that the franchise will make an aggressive attempt to land Butler. Yet, as of this writing, the Lakers remain without a official meeting.

Even after altering the Davis deal and getting him to waive his no trade clause, the team remains short of necessary cap space to sign Butler to a full max. However, Los Angeles can get awfully close to that figure and the lure of the Lakers should not be underestimated.

Related: 2019 Free Agency Briefing: Kawhi Leonard
Related: 2019 Free Agency Briefing: Kevin Durant

The post 2019 Free Agency Briefing: Jimmy Butler appeared first on SLAM.

Tucker insists that co-stars James Harden and Chris Paul remain on the same page, and that everyone is focused on winning an elusive NBA championship.

The Rockets’ front-office, meanwhile, is reportedly shopping what seems like everyone on the roster but Harden with free agency looming.

Per The Athletic:

As a leader in the locker room, tell me about James and Chris. You can’t speak for them, but…

Tucker: “No, but I’m sick of the fake news man. It’s fake. Everybody – I argue with Chris and James more than Chris and James argue.”

Fine, but Game 6 (against the Warriors): How hot was it (afterward)?

Tucker: “It was what it was. Everybody’s mad. Everybody’s pissed. You can’t – I’m sick of all the highlight of whoever this person is trying to come up with all this crap, like I argue with Chris and James more than Chris and James argue with each other. Like, I’m the center, focal (point) of the argument because I’m always yelling at somebody and they’re yelling at me. So for me, it’s like ‘If you’re not arguing…’ You don’t think Kobe (Bryant) and Shaq (O’Neal) argued? Hakeem (Olajuwon) and…”

But that’s a tough comparison though, right? There’s a threshold there. Kobe and Shaq reached a point where it wouldn’t work anymore.

Tucker: “Nah, but guess what? They won championships together. Right? And that’s what people care about, right? That’s what we talking about, right? Nah, but we’re talking about winning championships, right? So that’s all that matters. To win a championship. That’s it. Nothing else matters. If we win a championship together and we fucking hate each other, then guess what? Who cares? (Laughs) Nobody. Right, so that’s all that matters. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters. Winning a championship. Everything else is failure.“

Related Chris Paul: ‘I Never Demanded a Trade’

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The Houston Rockets don’t have the available cap space to pursue unrestricted free agent Jimmy Butler but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still interested in his services. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN writes that the Rockets very much plan to recruit Butler and intend to push the Philadelphia 76ers for a sign-and-trade agreement.

Although Philly can technically offer Butler considerably more money than he could attract with a new team, there’s no guarantee that the 29-year-old wishes to remain with the franchise. A sign-and-trade, in that scenario, would help the Sixers recoup assets if they consider his departure inevitable.

Given that he’s their own player, Philadelphia could offer as much as $190 million on a five-year max deal in an attempt to keep him. In contrast, Butler would have to settle for $140 million across four years if he chooses to pack up and head to a new organization.

If the two parties opt to explore a sign-and-trade, there’s one more thing to consider: As Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors explains, under the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams are no longer permitted to sign their own free agents to max deals if they intend to package them in a sign-and-trade. That means Butler wouldn’t be able to take his $190 million haul with him to Houston.

That leads back to one scenario, in which the Sixers ink Butler to a four-year, 30% max deal with 5% raises and then package him for the Rockets while taking back adequate salaries to make the math work. This, Wojnarowski suggests, could necessitate the addition of a third team due to complicated base year compensation rules.

In sign-and-trade scenarios, the team getting rid of the signee needs to match salaries with one figure (either 50% of the player’s new deal or 100% of the player’s previous deal, whichever is higher), while the team accepting the signee needs to match the new deal.

In Butler’s case, Philly would need to match Butler’s 2018-19 salary of $19.8 million while Houston would need to match Butler’s 2019-20 salary of approximately $32.7 million. They’d be playing by two different sets of rules.

Given that salary matching mechanisms in this scenario only allow for 125% breathing room, Houston would need to bring back about $26 million (because 125% of that is about $32.7 million) while Philadelphia could accept a max of approximately $25 million (roughly 125% of $19.8 million).

The discrepancy between the two goal numbers is what would likely necessitate a third team.

Wojnarowski adds Clint Capela and Eric Gordon as potential Rockets who could be involved in such a multiteam deal.

The post Rockets To Pursue Jimmy Butler, Push Sixers For Sign-And-Trade appeared first on SLAM.

By turning down his $19.8 million player option, Butler could be in line for a new max contract with a substantial raise in 2019-20, whether he seeks that in Philadelphia or elsewhere.

Should he stay pat in Philly, he could earn just shy of $190 million over the course of five years. If Butler opts to sign with another team, he could earn north of $140 million over the course of four seasons.

Butler averaged 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in 2018-19, a campaign he split between the Timberwolves and Sixers.

The 29-year-old settled in Philadelphia mid-season and helped Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons seriously challenge the eventual champion Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference semis.

With Butler’s 2019-20 deal off their books, the Sixers have just four players on guaranteed deals for next season. That won’t last once free agency begins in July. Philadelphia could retain Butler with plenty of room to spare.

In addition to Butler, the Sixers will need to make decisions on Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick, both of whom will become unrestricted free agents come July 1.

The post Jimmy Butler To Decline 2019-20 Player Option appeared first on SLAM.

The Sixers, who must also make a call on Tobias Harris in free agency, can offer Butler a five-year deal worth $188 million.

The 29-year-old four-time NBA All-Star became a fan favorite in Philadelphia after being acquired via trade last November.

Per Philly.com:

“Technically I think, knock on wood, I will get a max contract anywhere I choose to go,” Butler said. “So if you are talking a four-year, five-year, that is more than enough money anyway. I think I still have more than enough money now from my first deal.”

The Sixers traded two starters to Minnesota for Butler, Robert Covington and Dario Saric. They also dealt Jerryd Bayless, and a 2022 second-round pick and received Justin Patton, who has since been waived.

In 12 playoff games he averaged 19.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists. During the Toronto series he was the Sixers’ leading scorer, averaging 22 points per game.

“As long as you play hard, the city loves you; and give your all, that is all they ask of you,” Butler said. “It has definitely been fun to meet and interact with the fans and the people in the organization and absolutely everybody is amazing.”

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The 22-year-old acknowledged that he needs to develop his jumper, and punish defenses for sagging off of him.

One suspects Simmons will take different stance on the need to shoot three-pointers.

Per Philly.com:

Does he think he needs to be able to shoot from outside the paint?

“Yes.”

Does he think he needs to get to a point where he attempts more than five shots in a playoff Game 7?

“Yes.”

Is his plan still to spend the summer working on that shot with his brother Liam, a former small-school collegiate basketball player and assistant coach?

“Yes.”

Hey, the guy has never been long on words.

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There had been speculation about Brown’s job security, which grew after Philadelphia was eliminated in a thrilling seven-game second-round playoff series by the Toronto Raptors.

Sixers players expressed support for their head coach, with Joel Embiid calling “B.S.” on the rumors surrounding Brown possibly getting fired.

Per ESPN and Philly.com:

There had been some uncertainty about Brown returning for his seventh season, but Harris eliminated that doubt in a lengthy meeting with Brown and general manager Elton Brand on Monday that mostly centered on discussions about the franchise’s plans for the offseason.

The Sixers owe Brown nearly $15 million on a contract extension set to start next season, and management was determined to end speculation about his future and begin work on an offseason that includes decisions on retaining two prominent free agents, Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris.

“We all learned it’s hard when you got five guys that can basically score the ball and do a lot of things on the basketball court,” Embiid said. “It’s hard to put it all together. I don’t think he should have anything to worry about.”

He described Brown as an amazing coach, an even better person, and someone for whom he has a lot of love.

“If there was someone to blame [for not reaching the conference finals],” Embiid said, “put it all on me.”

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The big fella, who labored through 45 minutes, also pushed back against the suggestion that he was tired against the Raptors.

Jimmy Butler finished with 16 points on 5-of-14 shooting, and tipped his cap at Kawhi Leonard‘s heroics.

Per ESPN:

“Losing the game that way,” Embiid said when asked about his show of emotion. “Last shot. After a hard-fought game, I feel like we had a chance. A lot of things go through your mind. And it sucks. I don’t know. I can’t explain it. It just sucks.”

Before making his way to the locker room, Embiid shared an embrace with Raptors center Marc Gasol, who offered a few words of encouragement between hearty sobs by the 25-year-old center, who has become the face of the Sixers franchise.

“He was just telling me … tried to let me know that I’ll be right there at this moment and even further in my career,” Embiid said, praising the class that Gasol displayed.

Addressing the media postgame, with an offseason rife with uncertainty ahead of him and years of bad basketball behind him, he was asked where “The Process” stands now and how exhausted he felt after playing all but 2 minutes, 48 seconds of the 48 minutes played Sunday.

“I don’t give a damn about ‘The Process,'” he said. “And no, I’m not tired.”

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Leonard finished with 41 points in Game 7, shooting 16-of-39 in the thrilling 92-90 win over Philadelphia.

Kawhi’s amazing shot devastated Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler and the Sixers, who go into the summer with plenty of question marks.

Per The AP:

“It was great,” Leonard said. “That’s something I never experienced before, Game 7, a game-winning shot. It was a blessing to be able to get to that point and make that shot and feel that moment.”

After Philadelphia’s Jimmy Butler tied it with a driving layup with 4.2 seconds left, Toronto used its final timeout to draw up a play for Leonard, who dribbled toward the right corner and launched the high-arching shot.

“It’s tough,” Butler said. “Nobody likes to lose, not that way.”

The Raptors ran a similar play for Leonard during the first round against Orlando. That time, he caught the ball and shot without dribbling.

“Remembering that moment, I knew I had some time to try to get some space, rather than just catch and shoot the ball,” Leonard said. “I ended up finding a spot that I like, that I work on. I just knew I had to shoot it high.”

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Butler says he’s doing everything possible to keep Philly’s season alive.

Kawhi Leonard finished with 29 points for Toronto, but was kept relatively in check.

Joel Embiid had 17 points and 12 rebounds, with Ben Simmons adding 21 points to force a Game 7.

Per The AP:

“I play to win,” Butler said. “Right now, this is what I have to do in order to give us a great chance at winning.”

Game 7 is Sunday night in Toronto. The Milwaukee Bucks await the winner.

“It was amazing focus. Everybody was locked in,” Simmons said. “We knew what was at stake.”

Joel Embiid had played through a bad left knee and a stomach bug for most of the playoffs and the entire team had reason to be ill after the Raptors crushed the Sixers by 36 in Game 5.

“I knew I had to come in with high spirits,” Embiid said. “If I’ve got to play 45 minutes and push myself out there, that’s what I’ll do.”

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Embiid added that “it sucks” to be hampered by an illness in the series.

Jimmy Butler said Philadelphia “laid an egg” in the loss, and must now figure out how to slow down Kawhi Leonard with their season on the line.

Per The Athletic:

Lumbering forward, Embiid spotted a giddy Drake, the hip-hop star and Raptors ambassador, and shouted, “I’ll be back. I’ll be back.”

The 33-point, 10-rebound, five-block performance in Game 3 has to be close to the standard, not an outlier for Embiid if the 76ers are able to pull off the impossible.

“It sucks,” Embiid said of his illness-impacted play since what looked like a breakthrough performance. “I know I’ve got to do a better job for us to win. I’ve got to do the little things. When I’m needed to score the ball, I’ve got to show up. Setting screens, I need to do a better job of rebounding the ball. That’s on me. I can’t control my physical condition, but I can control how much I push myself, and I try to do that; I just got to do more. I know that I’ve got to go back to Game 3, the same energy. Got to have fun. That’s one of the keys of me playing so well this whole season, this postseason. I got to smile on the court. I got to lift my teammates up. I shouldn’t care about offending anybody. I just got to be myself and just not really care and do whatever I want to. At the end of the day, that’s how I dominate.”

In two of the three games in Toronto, Embiid was too sick to participate in film sessions and shootarounds, hammering home that no ability can top availability.

“It doesn’t matter what type of condition I’m in. I know it doesn’t matter,” Embiid said. “I know that my presence on the court, no matter what I’m going through, if it’s not scoring the ball, I know that I can help so much more by just being out there. I got to push through it. It’s about two and half hours, three hours, trying to get through it and that’s what I’m going to keep doing.”

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Kawhi Leonard led the Raptors past Philly with 39 points, 14 rebounds and five assists.

Joel Embiid struggled after needing a pregame IV, mustering only 11 points in the loss, which knotted the semifinal series at 2-2.

Per The AP:

“Just really growing up learning from great players, I was fortunate enough to be on some good teams early,” Leonard said, “so I was able to see defenses and go on deep playoff runs and I feel that helped me out today.”

Marc Gasol scored 16, Kyle Lowry had 14 and the Raptors rebounded after consecutive losses to reclaim home-court advantage.

“We needed some punch around the roster,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “It was a different mentality. Guys were looking to shoot, taking the first shot that was there.”

Jimmy Butler scored 29 and JJ Redick had 19 for Philadelphia. The 76ers are trying to reach the conference finals for the first time since Allen Iverson led them to the NBA Finals in 2001.

“We got humbled,” Butler said.

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Jimmy Butler added 22 points and 9 boards for Philadelphia, which took a 2-1 series lead.

Kawhi Leonard had 33 points and lamented the Raptors’ lack of scoring.

Per The AP:

“When I have fun, my game just changes,” Embiid said. “I’m always told if I don’t smile during the game it means I’m having a bad game or I’m not into it. I know to get my game going, I’ve got to have fun on the court.”

Leonard toyed with Ben Simmons in the third to lead Toronto’s charge back into the game. The Raptors ran Simmons through screens to give Leonard the space he needed to create and bury open jumpers. And when there was no space, Leonard simply bullied his way to the basket. He shoved a right elbow into James Ennis III and spun around him for a two-handed jam. Leonard made all six baskets and scored 14 points in the quarter to cut the deficit to eight points. Kyle Lowry and Danny Green offered little help (20 combined points) and Leonard couldn’t carry the Raptors on his own.

“They did a great job scoring. We didn’t,” Leonard said.

Embiid wore a black Process hoodie to the postgame press conference.

“We’ve got a lot more to give and do something special,” Embiid said.

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Joel Embiid is the face of the franchise, alongside Ben Simmons, and ownership has tasked head coach Brett Brown with steering the Sixers to a deep postseason run.

Butler adds that he and Embiid have fully embraced the pressure.

Per ESPN:

“The heat,” Butler acknowledges, “is on.”

The weight of the franchise has been placed squarely on his broad Cameroonian shoulders, a responsibility he craves and accepts. Managing partner Josh Harris expressed in March that he expects Philadelphia to advance beyond last year’s second-round exit — at a minimum. Hanging in the balance is the future of his coach, and possibly Butler and Tobias Harris, both free agents in July, who will likely seek lucrative paydays. A playoff exit at the hands of the Raptors would muddy the waters for everyone involved.

The big man embraces his role as the indispensable Sixers component. “I want people to think of me as the most unstoppable player in the game,” he says.

With that comes scrutiny, much of it self-induced. Embiid thrives when he’s uninhibited, poking fun and declaring his supremacy. If it plants a bull’s-eye on his No. 21 jersey, then so be it.

“You’re preaching to the choir,” Butler says. “You get to a certain point in this league when they come after you if you do something wrong. And even if you do it right, it’s still wrong. Anything I do or say is blown out of proportion. Same with Joel. I love it. And he does, too.”

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Butler—”my name isn’t James. It’s literally Jimmy”—finished with 30 points and 11 rebounds, and credited his team’s defense for knotting up the second-round series at 1-1.

Joel Embiid, who was dealing with a bout of gastroenteritis, added 12 points and six rebounds.

Kawhi Leonard had a game-high 35 points, but said Toronto was too slow out of the blocks.

Per Philly.com:

“That was James Butler. Like that was the adult in the gym,” Brown said of Butler, who finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and a block.

The swingman made 9 of 22 shots – including going 4-for-10 on three-pointers – to erase memories of his subpar Game 1 performance. Butler scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter Monday.

“Everybody told me to come out aggressive, shoot the shots that were there,” Butler said. “I think I passed the ball when I wasn’t open, maybe a little bit later, as some people may say.

“But all-in-all man, we guarded. I think that’s the reason that we won.”

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“Their two best players showed up. I didn’t tonight,” Embiid said about the Raptors’ duo of Kawhi Leonard (45 points, 11 rebounds) and Pascal Siakam (29 points, 7 rebounds.)

Embiid struggled en route to 16 points as Philadelphia fell 108-95 in Game 1.

Per Philly.com:

“Two really good players,” said Sixers star Joel Embiid, who made just 5 of 18 shots to finish with 16 points. “Their two best players showed up. I didn’t tonight and I have to do a better job.

“I have a lot of respect for those guys. They showed up. … They did a good. Next time maybe just like they are doing to me and double-teaming me. Throw some double-teams and have a better game plan.”

Leonard had 27 first-half points on 10-for-14 shooting, with Jimmy Butler, James Ennis, Ben Simmons, and Tobias Harris all taking turns guarding him. His highlight was a spin move to the basket on Butler in the second quarter.

“I don’t think we showed enough help as a team,” Simmons said of guarding Leonard. ” … Downhill, he’s one of those guys that can get buckets, easily.”

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“We could be down 0-4, but we’re not,” Butler told reporters in the lead-up to Game 2.

The 29-year-old finished with 36 points and nine rebounds in the series opener.

Per ESPN:

“We’re fortunate,” Butler said, even though his No. 3-seeded Sixers dropped the series opener to the No. 6-seeded Nets 111-102 on Saturday. “We get to play basketball every day. We’re in the playoffs. We’re the 3-seed. We’re happy. It could be a lot worse. We could be down 0-4, but we’re not.

“So we’re not going to worry about it, man. We’re going into this bad baby [Monday] thinking we’re going to win.”

[Brett] Brown said being down 0-1 is a fact of life sometimes in the postseason, citing that Denver and Toronto were also upset Saturday. It’s just about finding a way to be the first team to four wins and moving on, he said.

“Nobody accepts what happened yesterday,” he said. “You look around the league, three scalps were had by visiting teams. And it’s just part of, ‘How do you win four games?’ And so much of it for me over the years is, ‘How do you have that psychological stability where you don’t overreact?’ Where you’re at peace in some place within yourself, where you’re solid and steady, and you’re not up and down all the time and the playoffs can trick you.

“Family’s in town. The media is out at its pinnacle. And you have to ignore the noise. You really have to live in a place that is not distracting.”

The post ‘It Could Be a Lot Worse’: Jimmy Butler Downplays Game 1 Loss to Nets appeared first on SLAM.

Butler has no regrets about his messy exit from Minny, and insists he would “do nothing over.”

The 29-year-old NBA All-Star knows he is “in a good place” with the Philadelphia Sixers, and dares critics to overlook them in the playoffs.

Per The NY Times:

“They’re going to boo me,” Butler said of the Minnesota fans who watched him force his way out of town via a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers in November — months after Butler led the woebegone Timberwolves to their first playoff berth in 14 seasons.

“I would boo me, too. I’m not going to lie to you.”

Those who have spent any time around the rugged swingman surely don’t doubt it. At a time when N.B.A. Commissioner Adam Silver openly frets about player happiness — and when standouts such as Boston’s Kyrie Irving and Golden State’s Kevin Durant routinely rail against the approach of some of the news media — Butler is the rare star who savors the game’s edgy side and has embraced his portrayal as a villain.

“Oh, I love it,” Butler said in a phone interview, throwing in a profanity for emphasis. “I love it. I love it. Who wants to be loved all the time?

“It’s O.K. It’s fine. I don’t need everybody to like me. I know who I am. I can’t say that enough. I know what I’m about. I know where my heart is. People will say, ‘He’s this way, or he’s that way,’ but nobody knows except for the people around me every day. Ask them and they’ll tell you differently.”

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Embiid added that Marcus Smart took a “cheap shot” by shoving him to the floor.

Jimmy Butler‘s clutch baseline jumper secured Philly’s dramatic victory.

Per Philly.com:

“I think [beating Boston] gives us more confidence,” [Ben] Simmons said after the tense, physical, come-from-behind win. “We feel like we can beat anybody in this league.”

Embiid had a game-high 37 points to go with a career-high 22 rebounds to help lead the Sixers to victory. The two-time All-Star center also made a career-high 20 foul shots in 21 attempts.

Butler, who was the bell ringer in the post-game locker room, scored 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, including an 18-foot jumper with 5.5 seconds to finally vanquish the visitors.

“They put the ball in my hand in the fourth quarter and tell me to make plays,” Butler said. “I think, as of late, I’ve been doing a good job of that.”

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When the 76ers needed a bucket, Jimmy Butler rose to the occasion. After fending off tough defense from Kyrie Irving, Butler planted his feet and hit the dagger to ensure the win for his team. Butler finished with 22 points, while Joel Embiid put in a monstrous effort of 37 points and 22 rebounds.

Raptors 123 (51-21), Thunder 114 (42-30)

Russell Westbrook went coast-to-coast to tie the game at the end of regulation, but with Paul George fouling out also at the end of regulation, OKC fell short in OT. Pascal Siakam put in 33 points for the Raptors.

Bucks 102 (52-18), Cavaliers 107 (17-53)

The Bucks lacked a spark on offense with Giannis Antetokounmpo out, losing on the road to Cleveland. Collin Sexton hit several clutch buckets down the stretch to lead his team to the win; he scored 25 points.

Pelicans 96 (30-42), Magic 119 (33-38)

Orlando scored 39 points in the opening frame to grab the lead and never looked back, leading the entire game. They enjoyed scoring from the trio of Evan Fournier (22 points), Aaron Gordon (20 points) and Terrence Ross (19 points).

Jazz 137 (40-29), Knicks 116 (14-56)

Donovan Mitchell dropped 30 points in just 28 minutes as the Jazz cruised to a win. Teammates Joe Ingles and Rudy Gobert each added 18 points. Knicks rookie Kevin Knox scored 27 points.

Wizards 120 (30-40), Bulls 126 (19-52)

Bradley Beal hit a clutch bucket to force the game into overtime, but Chicago pulled it out at home. They were led by Lauri Markkanen’s 32 points, while Kris Dunn added 26 points.

Rockets 125 (44-26), Grizzlies 126 (28-42)

James Harden scored eight straight points in overtime and dropped 57 points, but Houston fell on a last-second free throw by Jonas Valanciunas. Mike Conley and Valanciunas combined for 68 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists.

Heat 110 (33-36), Spurs 105 (41-29)

Miami had just enough offensive gas to push them ahead on the road. Goran Dragic led the team with 22 points in 22 minutes. Dwyane Wade, who finished with 11 points in his final game in San Antonio, hit a ridiculous shot down the stretch to hold off the Spurs.

Mavericks 118 (28-43), Blazers 126 (44-27)

Three Blazers notched double-doubles in their win: Damian Lillard (33 points, 12 assists), Enes Kanter (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Jusuf Nurkic (13 points, 10 rebounds). Luka Doncic led Dallas in scoring with 24 points.

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Back in Los Angeles, Montrezl Harrell did his sneaker thing as he broke out his own pair of ‘Brons, rocking the “Pure Platinum” Xs along with the “N7” Nike KD6 in the Clippers thrilling last-second win over the Nets. Fellow sneaker titan P.J. Tucker also went the KD route as he brought out a pair of KD4s in a sample colorway made for the 2012 Finals.

Another pair of Marquette Golden Eagle PEs made waves in the NBA sneaker world as Jimmy Butler rocked a wild pair of the Jordan Supreme Elevation. As y’all might recall, fellow Marquette alumni Jae Crowder wore a pair of the Jordan Jumpman Hustle PEs which we featured here just a few nights ago.

Several other pairs will definitely catch your attention so make sure you peruse the rest of our Sunday’s NBA footwear recap below.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Bam Adebayo wore those sick futuristic-looking Nike Zoom Kobe IV Protros, but DeMar DeRozan showed why he’s the top Kobe collector in the League as he broke out the latest colorway in that style which featured an all-black base with bright contrasting color pops. Fellow Kobe aficionados Allonzo Trier and Tobias Harris wore vintage models. Iso Zo went with the Nike Zoom Kobe VI ASG “Orange County” and Harris donned the “Big Stage” Nike Zoom Kobe V.

In the evening’s craziest kicks, Jimmy Butler came with another sick pair of the Jordan Supreme Elevation as he donned an orange and green number in the 76ers win. Dwyane Wade went with a new Li-Ning Way of Wade 7 colorway which featured a leopard print over a multicolored upper.

Closing out, our P.J. Tucker sneaker watch continues and the League’s sneaker king showed pride in his alma mater as he wore a pair of “Texas Longhorns” Nike Zoom KD4 PEs.

Check out the rest of the league’s footwear game in our recap below.

Photos via Getty Images

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Before the Wolves acquiesced to Butler’s desire to play elsewhere by shipping him off to the 76ers, the 29-year-old wing “bullied” young KAT, according to Kentucky Coach John Calipari.

“I bet that environment was so uncomfortable for him. First of all, he and Jimmy are totally different people — how they were brought up, their likes and dislikes, how they approach competition. You have one guy on this side and one guy on the other side.” […]

“There are power struggles all the time in [the NBA]. If a guy can bully you, he will bully you. And that’s what Jimmy did to Karl. C’mon, that’s the league.”

KAT did have an ally in Rose, who, according to Calipari, “got Karl through that whole Butler mess.”

When Towns went through spurts of passivity, such as only attempting 10 shots in a game, Rose encouraged his teammate.

“We need more from you,” [Rose] told Towns bluntly. […]

“He’s so mindful of everything I’ve told him,” Rose explains. “So many young guys are stubborn, hard-headed. They know everything. KAT’s not like that. He listens.”

Unsurprisingly though, Butler wasn’t a huge fan of Coach Cal’s “bully” comments.

“I don’t think bully is a good word,” Butler told ESPN. […]

“He can call me a bully, but when [Calipari] sees me, I’m gonna confront him about it,” Butler continued. “If I’m a bully, I’m gonna bully him, too. I’ll tell him how I feel, just like I’d tell anyone else.”

Thankfully, this whole saga is behind us.

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It was the All-Star guard’s first game against his former team, and Butler finished with 19 points (on 8-10 shooting) to go along with four assists, two steals and a block before sitting out the fourth quarter.

View this post on Instagram

looking right through the past.. to the future!

A post shared by Jimmy Butler (@jimmybutler) on Jan 15, 2019 at 7:27pm PST

Joel Embiid led the way for Philadelphia with game-highs of 31 points and 13 rebounds.

Sixers rout Timberwolves in Jimmy Butler’s first game against former team https://t.co/WcYb1exrSe via @phillydotcom

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) January 16, 2019

Per Philly.com:

“It was everything I thought it would be,” Butler said of facing Minnesota. “Seeing some old faces. Not too much trash-talking. I don’t [like] anybody’s talking like that. But I like the fact that we beat them.”

If Butler was motivated to play his former squad, he sure didn’t show it. The eighth-year veteran took what was given to him in the flow of the game instead of trying to take things over.

“I do want to beat those guys, but I want to [beat] every team. That’s for sure,” he said. “But, like I said, winning at home is always good. That large of a margin is always great, too, because guys get rest.

“But I’m taking any and all wins — not just against the Timberwolves.”

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Brown says Butler may be “vocal,” but did not cross the line.

Coach: 76ers’ Jimmy Butler wasn't disrespectful when questioning role. #NBA https://t.co/UA8OM75FGn

— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) January 6, 2019

Brown adds that he’s focused on ensuring Butler meshes with stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons: “There’s nobody trying to figure this out more than I am,” the coach said.

Per the AP:

“I didn’t feel like any of that crossed the line,” Brown said. “He’s vocal. He’s all in and he has opinions, but it’s instigated by me. None of this should surprise anybody. He’s got opinions. He wants to be heard. And he should be heard.”

Butler’s contention is that he would like to be used more in pick-and-roll or isolation situations offensively, but those aren’t hallmarks of Brown’s offense.

“You can’t always win on your own terms,” Brown said.

Brown said that he would like to accommodate Butler’s request as much as he can without completely altering his system and what he thinks will work for the 76ers’ other stars.

“The team part of this is my true north,” he said.

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Butler is said to have acted in a “disrespectful” manner during a recent film session.

Reporting with @ramonashelburne: Philadelphia’s Jimmy Butler has aggressively challenged coach Brett Brown on All-Star’s role in 76ers offense, complicating an already-tenuous chemistry among team’s Big 3 hierarchy. Story on ESPN. https://t.co/DYqEAZNzM1

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 4, 2019

Brown reportedly told people within Philly’s organization that he had no issue with the exchange.

Butler, a five-time NBA All-Star, will become a free agent this summer.

Per ESPN:

Brown, who signed a contract extension in the offseason, remains a popular figure with ownership and management. Around the organization, there’s an urgency for Brown and his coaching staff to stabilize the situation, sources said.

“What’s most — by a mile — lately, on my mind, is the growth of a team, and the cohesion and the ability to share in somebody else’s success,” Brown said after Monday’s victory over the Clippers. “The ability to communicate candidly, to coexist. That’s all I care about.

“We’re coming together. We have a new opportunity. You don’t just click your heels and throw Jimmy Butler in and everybody’s going to be playing the same way and style. It [doesn’t] work like that. So my job is to grow a team. Ben and Jo, Jo and Jimmy, go anywhere you want. Those four are huge. Playing together is what’s always, by a long shot, on my mind.”

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