The Golden State Warriors fell to an uncompetitive 86-112 loss to the Miami Heat tonight at the Kaseya Center in Florida. This was Jimmy Butler’s first game against the Heat since his controversial winter trade after a protracted saga that included multiple suspensions for the star.
Butler led the Heat to two NBA Finals and is a franchise legend. However, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr didn’t think the atmosphere for Butler’s return was all that special, pointing to the general nature of the average Heat fan as to why it felt like a ‘typical Miami’ game.
“I didn’t know what was going on before the game. There was a video with no sound… Miami is a great place to live. People don’t ever seem too amped up around here, they’re living a good life. So, it really wasn’t that rabid an environment. It was typical Miami.
Kerr did note that the Heat’s roster was amped for Butler’s return to the franchise, crediting coach Erik Spoelstra for having the squad ready for the matchup.
“The main part of Jimmy’s return is that the Heat were ready. Spo had them ready. You shoot 17-25 from three, you’re going to win, but I think it was how hard they played and how hard they competed.”
Steve Kerr on the Jimmy Butler return environment: “Miami is a great place to live. People don’t ever seem too amped up around here. So it really wasn’t that rabid an environment. Typical Miami. The main part of Jimmy’s return is that the Heat were ready.” pic.twitter.com/BbeWUim60w
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 26, 2025
This was a rough loss for the Warriors, who stood no chance without Stephen Curry at beating the Heat. Not only was Miami’s defense on-point, but they had their best three-point shooting night of the season by going 17-25 (68.0 3P%) during this win.
Jimmy Butler had 11 points (5-12 FG) and six rebounds in the loss, unable to have any real impact on the Warriors’ offensive struggles on the night.
Jimmy Butler’s Miami Heat Return Was Uneventful
The Luka Doncic trade might have caused many to already forget that Butler’s trade saga with the Heat was the No. 1 trade story for the first four months of the season.
After murmurs of wanting out due to failed extension talks, Butler openly requested a trade in December, which led to a cycle where the Heat kept suspending Butler until the trade deadline when they finally dealt him to the Warriors.
For Butler to carry the franchise to two NBA Finals and then leave in a scorched earth fashion was hard for many fans. As a result, this game attracted a lot of attention. The Heat honored Butler with a tribute video pre-game, which led to a mixed response from the fans in attendance.
Mixed reviews from the crowd during Jimmy Butler’s Heat tribute video
pic.twitter.com/UMvVEK8Wg3
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) March 26, 2025
At no point was the crowd overwhelmingly loud or against Butler, but that could also be because of the action on display.
Butler didn’t get any signature highlights, while the Heat picked up a pretty routine win. Maybe the presence of Curry would make this game more competitive, but Golden State was 7-3 in games without Steph this season prior to tonight’s loss.
Other than Butler not greeting any of his former coaches or teammates on the court, it was an uneventful game where the Heat pulled off an upset. It is a good win for a franchise that recently went through an 11-game losing streak without Butler, while the forward has been a crucial part of the Warriors going 15-5 after acquiring him.
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