Jimmy Butler downplayed his return to Miami, but his 11-point performance in the Warriors` 26-point loss was surely not his plan.
The Heat, who had been struggling, suddenly looked energized against their former teammate. Honoring Butler with a tribute video before the game, the Miami crowd gave him a mild reception, but the Heat`s play was anything but indifferent.
Bam Adebayo set the tone early, dunking on Butler within the first minute.
Without Stephen Curry, still recovering from a fall, the Warriors have now lost two straight, dropping below playoff contention. Although technically ahead of the Clippers for the No. 6 seed, they are even in losses, and the Clippers hold the tiebreaker.
The Warriors have a couple of days to regroup and anticipate Curry`s return for Friday`s game in New Orleans, a game they should win. A following game against the Spurs should also be a win. However, these recent losses are significant as the Warriors navigate the tight race to secure a guaranteed playoff spot, avoiding the uncertainty of play-in games.
In a single play-in game, anything is possible. If the season ended today, they would face the Timberwolves. Minnesota, a conference finalist last year with star Anthony Edwards and a strong Julius Randle, would be a tough opponent. A play-in loss would pit them against either Sacramento or Phoenix in another elimination game. Winning that would lead to a first-round matchup against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
This is a risky path for Golden State. After a strong start with Butler, winning 15 of 18 games, their performance has declined. They suffered a bad loss to Denver, even with key Nuggets players absent, and now the Hawks and Heat have outscored them significantly.
Butler has generally played well for the Warriors, though his finishing at the rim has been inconsistent. He contributes as a playmaker and provides a valuable free-throw threat. However, his scoring has been somewhat subdued. Against Miami, he only scored two points in the first half. By the time he became more aggressive, the Warriors were already down by 17 at halftime. He didn`t score in the fourth quarter and was benched with seven minutes remaining.
Butler`s measured approach can be effective, but sometimes it becomes passive. Even in good positions, he can over-pump-fake and lacks explosiveness at the rim, as seen in a blocked attempt by Kel`el Ware on Tuesday.
Ultimately, Butler wasn`t meant to be the primary scorer for the Warriors. He has shown he can be a star supporting Curry, and the hope remains that “Playoff Jimmy” will emerge when Golden State needs him most in the postseason.
But on this particular night in Miami, Butler`s lack of assertiveness, combined with Adebayo`s strong defense, was evident, especially in his single free-throw attempt. Consequently, the Warriors also fell short.
Jasper Hawthorne