Two trips to the NBA Finals. Three appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals. Denied the brass ring by only LeBron James, Nikola Jokić and Jayson Tatum. No shame there.
That’s a robust stretch of success in the span of 5 1/2 seasons for the Miami Heat, made possible by the big-game-ability of Jimmy Butler, the unrepentant and mercurial centerpiece of those teams.
Butler blew into Miami the way he ultimately stormed out — very boldly, with sizzle. When he arrived, the stakes were raised. Once he left, they changed.
While he was there, basketball was reborn and the Heat had a heartbeat. They challenged for championships and remained on the NBA’s must-watch radar. In that span, Miami was roughly a top-five team, respected by all and feared in some circles.
That was then.
And this is Butler’s reflection now:
“We were alright. We didn’t win nothing like we were supposed to. So I don’t know. We made some cool runs. We had some fun. I think that’s all we did.”
It’s the tempered response of a player who, if he hasn’t already closed the door on his time in Miami, will certainly do so Tuesday when he returns as a member of the Warriors (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
Whether genuine or not, Butler is splashing cold water on the occasion, calling it “just another game.” There appears to be no concern about the reception he’ll receive from the fans who embraced him or the team that celebrated with him.
“Don’t make no difference,” Butler said. “I’m a member of the Golden State Warriors. I love that fan base. They (Miami) showed me a lot of love while I was there. But I’m there to win now. I’m on the opposing team.”
Butler even compared this to his previous “return” stops to Chicago, Minneapolis and Philadelphia, even though the results in those places where he previously played don’t begin to match his time in Miami.
It’s a curious take. Maybe the wound is still fresh from his prickly exit when he cited a lack of “joy” as the reason for demanding to be traded by the February deadline, when the absence of a contract extension from Miami was the main point of contention. His last few days with the Heat were filled with drama, mostly of his own making.
Butler is pacified right now after receiving a two-year extension from the Warriors, and is winning again. Golden State is 16-4 since he arrived and is competing for a playoff spot. Those are the necessary meds for any hard feelings.
Years from now, when everyone involved is in their rocking chairs, they’ll concede the obvious: that the Butler-Miami relationship was beneficial for the team and especially the player, who saw his court credibility soar and finally showed what he could do in the role of a lead singer.
In his time in Miami, Butler was a two-time All-Star, a three-time All-NBA selection, made one All-Defensive team, led the league in steals (2020-21) and was the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals MVP. While he had moments at his other NBA stops, the Miami experience was easily the summit (so far) of his career.
The legacy he formed with the Heat began almost from the very start when he forced a sign-and-trade from Philadelphia in 2019. For the Heat, it was the perfect storm. Bam Adebayo came of age as a solid defensive big man with a developing offensive game, Tyler Herro emerged as a dependable secondary scorer and several once-neglected and undrafted players performed beyond expectations.
Still: This was Butler’s team.
These were the critical checkpoints:
His first season (2019-20) was shortened by the pandemic, and Butler carried the team. He never previously fit the definition of a superstar, yet delivered like one, as one of the outstanding performers in the restart bubble. First, he ousted the Indiana Pacers in a sweep. Then he chopped down Giannis Antetokounmpo and the top-seeded Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Next, he took out Tatum and the Celtics in six games, with epic efforts that sent Butler to the Finals for the first time.
Miami was a heavy underdog (as was the case throughout the postseason) against the Lakers, yet Butler delivered a 40-point triple-double — only James and Jerry West previously managed that feat in Finals history. He had multiple 30-point triple-doubles in that series, won by the Lakers in six, and nearly averaged a triple-double along with 2.2 steals per game.
Let’s take an in-depth look at the full 6 game series between the Lakers and Heat!
In his third season (2021-22), Miami had its best regular-season run since the “Big Three” era. The results included multiple winning streaks, 53 wins and gaining the top seed in the East. Yet it was Butler’s scorching romp through the playoffs that left the largest impression.
It was, at that point, his career high-water mark because Butler cemented his rep as a bright-lights performer: “Playoff Jimmy.” Everything was elevated from the regular season, especially his scoring. Which was unique because Butler was never a high-volume shooter.
He scored 45 points against the Hawks in the first round, 40 vs. the Sixers and then opened the Eastern Conference Finals with 41 (on 60% shooting) against the Celtics. In that game, he was masterful, adding nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks in the win.
Then he forced a Game 7 by going a level higher: a playoff career-high 47 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals while facing elimination. Only Michael Jordan had multiple games of 40 points and four steals in a playoff series.
Miami lost the series, with Butler missing a game-winning 3-point attempt with 17 seconds left. He blamed himself for the Game 7 loss, though the series would’ve never gone the limit without him.
The next regular season was the opposite of the previous one as Miami found itself in the SoFi Play-In Tournament. Once again, though, Butler confirmed his playoff reputation and the Heat became the first Play-In team to reach the NBA Finals.
His 31 points against the Bulls secured the eighth seed. Then came the signature moment of his career — a demolition of the top-seeded Bucks filled with heroics. His layup with a half-second left in regulation sealed a 16-point fourth-quarter comeback that forced overtime in Game 5 as the Heat eliminated the Bucks in Milwaukee.
Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said then: “He’s desperate and urgent and maniacal and sometimes psychotic about the will to try to win. He’ll make everybody in the building feel it. That’s why he is us and we are him.”
Butler averaged 37.6 ppg in the series, including a 56-pointer in Game 4.
Inspired by Butler, the Heat collectively seared through the rest of the playoffs. Other players — Adebayo, Caleb Martin, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent — elevated their game, helping Miami come out on top in a seven-game Eastern Conference Finals after assuming a 3-0 lead on Boston.
In the NBA Finals against the Nuggets, Butler seemed gassed, and Miami faced a hotter player anyway in Jokić.
Relive the Heat’s 2023 NBA playoff run that culminated with a spot in the NBA Finals.
It went downhill from there for Butler and the team. Butler’s availability began to fluctuate. He suffered a knee sprain and missed the 2024 playoffs. He later said Miami would’ve beaten the Celtics if he were healthy, and Heat president Pat Riley later chided him to “keep your mouth shut” if you’re unable to play.
That, and the Heat’s refusal to extend his contract, is what soured Butler on the team. His availability continued to be iffy this season, and he appeared to give half-effort when he did play, perhaps as a protest to Miami dragging its feet regarding a trade.
Butler is now 35 and joins two similarly aged stars trying to extend their shelf life: Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. The Warriors are projected as a dangerous team once the playoffs begin (assuming they make the postseason) because of the histories of those three players.
Meanwhile, his former team is picking up the pieces. The Heat just ended a 10-game losing streak. They’re projected to remain in the top 10 in the East standings, and therefore reach the SoFi Play-In Tournament.
“The Jimmy Butler Experience” in Miami was thrilling while it lasted. Now, a period of reinvention awaits separately for the player and the team.
But first, a reconnection, if it can be called that, awaits Tuesday.
Spoelstra said: “Obviously there will be a lot of different feelings about it. I probably won’t express all of them … we had a great five-year run. We didn’t win the title but only one team does. We had some great moments here. That’s what you always remember. (But) it doesn’t matter what everybody feels right now.”
Butler: “It’s a game we’re expected to win.”
Just another game.
* * *
Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Warner Bros. Discovery.
