Instant Analysis: Warriors Slump Continues In Bad Loss To Jimmy Butler-Less Heat

The Golden State Warriors lost 98-114 at home to the Miami Heat to continue sliding down the Western Conference standings.

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Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) and guard Stephen Curry (30) watch a reply during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images

The Golden State Warriors have fallen to 6-15 since their 12-3 start to the season, losing 98-114 at the Chase Center to the Miami Heat. The Heat are without Jimmy Butler’s services as the star was suspended for this clash amidst his trade request from the franchise. 

The Heat won this through a collective effort, led by Nikola Jovic’s 20 points (8-17 FG) and six rebounds off the bench. Bam Adebayo put up 19 points (9-14 FG) and nine rebounds while Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 18 points (7-12 FG) and five rebounds in the win. Tyler Herro struggled with 14 points (4-14 FG) and eight rebounds. Duncan Robinson (12 PTS, 4-6 3P) and Alec Burks (11 PTS, 3-6 FG) also played well.

The Warriors struggled to produce outside of Stephen Curry, who had 31 points (11-22 FG) and seven rebounds. Draymond Green had a near triple-double with seven points (3-9 FG), 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Trayce Jackson-Davis had 19 points (9-12 FG) and seven rebounds while Buddy Hield had 11 points (4-12 FG), eight rebounds, and five assists off the bench. No other Warrior scored in double-figures.

This was a rough loss for Golden State, and here are some major takeaways from it.


Couldn’t Keep Up Offensively

The Warriors didn’t have a hope of keeping up with the Miami Heat in what was a dreadful offensive night for the team as a whole. Despite Curry going 11-22 from the field and 8-17 from three, the team as a whole went 40-98 from the field (40.8 FG%) and 14-50 from three (28.0 3P%).

If you remove Curry’s production, the Warriors role-players went 29-76 from the field and a dreadful 6-33 from three. There was no hope of keeping up offensively, especially when the Heat had the exact opposite night as a squad.

The Heat are missing top-end talent like Jimmy Butler, but tonight it was a rotational masterclass. Six players scored in double-digits as season-leading scorer Tyler Herro had a tough night (14 PTS, 4-14 FG). They all stepped up to share the load, with the Heat going 43-91 from the field (47.3 FG%) and 16-40 from three (40.0 3P%).

It wasn’t a red-hot shooting night for the Heat but it was an extremely competent offensive performance in the face of a team that seems incapable of replicating that themselves. 


Warriors Don’t Have Enough Talent

Every single Warriors loss seems to reaffirm the fanbase’s belief the team desperately needs to add star talent next to Stephen Curry. They have a collection of young players and future draft picks but have obstinately not moved them to become a win-now franchise despite missing the Playoffs last season.

Jonathan Kuminga’s recent injury has shone a big light on the Warriors’ lack of a high-production co-star for Curry. Kuminga is their second-leading scorer this season despite not even being a solidified starter, showing how dire the situation is without him on the court. 

Andrew Wiggins (9 PTS) and Buddy Hield (11 PTS) are woefully inconsistent while Draymond Green (7 PTS) has never been a scoring threat in his career. The offseason signing of Kyle Anderson (5 PTS) has completely flopped, and young stars such as Moses Moody (3 PTS) and Brandin Podziemski (DNP) simply haven’t taken the leap. All of this without even addressing their weak center rotation with Trayce Jackson-Davis (19 PTS) and Kevon Looney (DNP).

They need to make a major trade to give Curry a reason to play at such a high level after openly admitting the team has a poor roster and that his career is in its twilight.


Heat Don’t Need To Rush Trading Jimmy Butler

The Heat are a team that’s built well as a unit to be competitive even without Jimmy Butler. He has been in and out of the lineup this season with poor production, which led to his suspension as the Heat believe they can stay good without him. This was proof of that, as they played agenda-free basketball to create a well-paced offensive performance with stifling defense to execute this win.

It’s foolish to say the Heat are better without Butler, but they can still be good without him. This is a golden opportunity to flip Butler’s $48.7 million into more productive players who will be willing to play hard for them in the short term to boost their competitive chances this season. They don’t need to acquiesce to Butler’s wishes despite him ruling out teams as potential destinations.

The Heat played an attractive style of basketball with plenty of movement on and off-ball, something they’ve always done around Butler as a hub. But with Butler’s recent removal from the lineup, they’re embracing a more unpredictable style of offense that relies on almost everyone.

They need reinforcements to challenge the best teams in the NBA, but they don’t need to overreact on moving Butler for a deal that wouldn’t be optimal for their winning chances this season.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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