FILE – Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat reacts during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images/AFP
Jimmy Butler returned from a 10-game absence due to the league’s coronavirus protocols to score 30 points in the Heat’s 105-104 victory over the Sacramento Kings.
“You simply cannot put a modern-day analytic to Jimmy’s will to win,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who still had to make do without injured Goran Dragic, Avery Bradley and others.
Butler scored 20 points in the first half, but Miami couldn’t get ahead by more than one and trailed by two at the break.
The Heat (7-12) led by 11 early in the fourth, before the Kings mounted a rally that would fall just short.
Bam Adebayo added 18 points and 13 rebounds for Miami, which shot 22-of-26 from the free-throw line compared to Sacramento’s five-of-11.
De’Aaron Fox had 30 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Kings, who dropped to 8-11.