Heat star Jimmy Butler gave a brutally honest assessment of his team after it dropped a third straight game on Friday to Minnesota, explaining that the club has been playing a “soft” brand of basketball. Miami’s record now stands at 28-28.
“We’re just being soft. That’s it,” Butler said, as relayed by ESPN. “Not getting into bodies, scared of some contact. Soft overall.”
The Heat lost the game 119-111, allowing the Timberwolves to shoot 52% from the floor and 42% from deep. Aside from being outworked, the team once again deployed a game plan of switching screens — a perplexing move by Erik Spoelstra with both Victor Oladipo and Andre Iguodala sidelined. The same scheme was also used in a loss against the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic on Wednesday.
“It’s not frustrating because we do it so often,” Butler said. “It’s almost like it’s expected, in a bad way to put it. We just think we’re such a good team, and then reality hits us, we’re humbled. And I’m glad, because that’s what this game does for you. Home, away, no matter what opponent you’re playing against, you just stroll into the game thinking you’re nice, you’re good. This is what happens.
“I’m glad it happened to us. And if we don’t fix it, I hope it continues to happen to us.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division today:
- Speaking of the Heat, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines in his latest “Ask Ira” mailbag whether Pat Riley failed to properly size up the team’s roster this season. Miami has upcoming games against the Nets (38-18) on Sunday, the Rockets (14-42) on Monday, and the Spurs (26-28) on Wednesday.
- Wizards star Bradley Beal feels somewhat vindicated by not requesting a trade earlier this season, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. “It speaks volumes,” Beal said. “It’s always tough because when my name was buzzing, that’s all I heard early in the year is, ‘Trade Beal, trade Beal.’ It wasn’t anything other than that. So, me knowing who I am and just sticking through it, that’s a testament to what we did as a team this year.”
- The majority of Hawks players received their second COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday, Sarah Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. In addition, at least two players received their first dose.
Jimmy Butler is maybe my most fave non-GSW player in the game today. He would be such a great fit on GSW too, with his “winning is the only thing” attitude – shared by Steph, Dray and Klay.
Would love for Knicks to somehow get Beal without including RJ and get Ball. Would Mitch,OB 1,Knox,Frank, and 3 Number ones be enough? Ball, Beal, RJ, Randle, Noel. Looks great to me.
RJ and salary cap for Beal
Not happening
It’s so inviting of derision when Knicks fans (or any fans for that matter) think they can get Beal without giving up anything substantial in the deal.
They are fun to watch these individuals come with these ridiculously stupid trade suggestions/hopes.
Hey, I wish the Heat can get Giannis, Jokic and Lillard for three second round picks.
RJ or IQ would have to be in the deal I would say – idk if NY has enough to get it done, at least not without giving up what would make the team good with Beal
If the Knicks weren’t smart enough to fire Phil Jackson before he drafted Frank over Donovan Mitchell, Bam Adebayo and a couple of others, what makes you think they’re smart enough to make this trade that you suggest?
Why does Beal feel that another season in the lotto bin is vindication of some sort?
I was thinking the same thing.
The whole Beal situation strikes me as very odd. I mean the last *inkling* of hope was Westbrook still had his gear and they’d be able to vault into the 4-6 range in the East
Now? Westbrook is an empty stats guy on steroids. *And* their best prospect (Bryant) tore his ACL. This is done. Washington has no path to build a competitor around Beal.
So why does he want to be there? And why does the team not realize they will eventually be risking losing him for nothing?
At least Beal doesn’t jump to a super team like a lot of stars do. It either happens in Washington or he doesn’t win. The league needs more stars like him and Lillard.
That’s fair, although Dame is a little different, he never misses the playoffs in the west, Beal is missing the play-in game in the east
But even if Beal doesn’t want out, Washington’s best option is still moving Beal at peak value and starting over with the best possible assets
I’d rather watch a super team than some guy trying to be a hero losing by 20 every night. The longer you believe in some weird moral version of loyalty, the longer you’ll continue to be disappointed.
No clue. Seems like an ego thing.
See Carmelo Anthony Era in NY.
Heat are statistically almost exactly as they were 2 years ago, and have even had similar injury issues. Still cant guard certain guys at the 4, and without Oladipo, they have issues guarding certain quick guards. Offensively they’ve struggled as well, although the FT issue isnt as obvious as it was previously. Last night, the end of that game was tough to watch, with so many missed layups, dropping the ball with a lane to the rim, and missed FTs. Their record with Butler in the lineup is obviously right there with the high seeded teams, but lately, Spo has been messing around with the bench rotation, and now isnt really the time to do that. He did the same thing a couple of years back, and they struggled at the end of the season, and then missed the playoffs when Richardson got hurt the last couple of weeks…they made those trades, but the way they’ve used their bench lately is costing them in matchups they have options against…Tyler Herro was -25 last night, and pretty much all 3 of their losses on this trip was their bench getting blown away
They need to go on a run once this home stand starts
What did the Wizards accomplish? They are 12th in the East.
They took Westbrick off the Rockets hands, that’s what they accomplished.
So a “at least we aren’t in last place”
The Heat are struggling with size. Been doing that since last year’s NBA Finals. We are talented everywhere else, but this offseason, we need to focus on productive size to help Bam. We also need to develop Achuiwa.
We don’t need Beal. He would cost too much. We have plenty of cap space to upgrade significantly next yr. Plus I rather keep our three 3 of top 33 picks in draft, we can give up #46. Its only First yr of rebuild. We are way ahead of schedule.
Jimmy Butler seems like a tool there’s your brutally honest assessment
A Beal for you, and a Beal for him
a Beal for her, and a Beal for them
you all getcherself a Beal
because the Beal broad appeal!
Per Bas.Ref… Heat…
3 of their top 4 2-man and 4-man combos, and 2 of the 3 top 3-man combos, include Olynyk… and they traded Olynyk.
Herro is overrated. He should be dealt in the offseason. His stats are low, his perceived value high, and he’s individually oriented which undoes what Butler does.
Whether someone should be traded or not is NOT a matter of how good they are; it’s the GM’s evaluation vs other FOs. Buy low, sell high, make profit.
And Bam is a forward bc the way he moves. It’s not really about blocked shots or weight. But that does make the center better if he is a 3-pt guy.
You see why I was willing to move Herro for Lowry
Miami is a head scratcher, on paper they should be battling for the finals. When healthy they are among the most talented and deepest teams in the league. They could be a dangerous dark horse again in playoffs.
The Heat have a problem with size. That’s why they’re inconsistent. No matter the team, if the team has size, they are a matchup problem for the Heat. When a team doesn’t have size, the Heat give them fits and can dominate.