NBA: Heat torch Warriors in Jimmy Butler’s Miami return
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) drives to the basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors, Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Jimmy Butler, playing against the Heat for the first since they traded him, was held to 11 points as host Miami defeated the short-handed Golden State Warriors 112-86 on Tuesday night.
Miami got a game-high 27 points and eight rebounds from Bam Adebayo, 20 points and seven assists from Tyler Herro and 17 points from Alec Burks.
Miami (31-41) is just 6-17 since trading Butler on Feb. 6. Golden State (41-31) is 16-5 since making the move.
READ: NBA: Jimmy Butler says no hard feelings ahead of Miami return
Cap did his thing and showed us why he earned that title with a dominant all-around game 💪 pic.twitter.com/XMGGsyxXVW
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 26, 2025
Butler got a mixed ovation when he was introduced prior to the game. But as the contest wore on, he was greeted with boos every time he touched the ball.
The Warriors were minus-19 points when he was on the court on Tuesday. Butler finished with six rebounds and two assists and made 5 of 12 shots.
Andrew Wiggins, who went to Miami in the Butler trade, posted 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and a game-high three blocks.
Heat rookie 7-footer Kel’el Ware made a spectacular shot in the third quarter. While in the air, he lost control of the ball, re-gathered and then flipped in a reverse layup with English. He finished with 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Duncan Robinson, one of Miami’s top 3-point shooters, sat out due to back pain. Golden State was missing 11-time All-Star Stephen Curry, who has a pelvic contusion.
READ: NBA: Warriors’ Jimmy Butler comeback game vs Heat nears
Just 79 seconds into the game, Draymond Green was bloodied as he took an inadvertent elbow from Adebayo. Green remained in the game.
Golden State, which missed its first seven 3-point shots, trailed 28-22 after one quarter. Adebayo had 13 points in that quarter, including a banked-in 18-footer with 0.2 seconds left in the period.
Miami stretched its lead to 57-40 at halftime, including a 3-pointer by Herro at the buzzer.
At halftime, Butler had just two points on 1-for-6 shooting. He was stripped on a fast break, and Ware blocked his shot to wipe out another potential score.
Golden State cut its deficit to 83-70 after three quarters. But Miami finished that quarter on a 5-0 run.
Miami extended it to a nine-point run to start the fourth quarter, and the Heat kept Golden State from seriously threatening the Heat the rest of the way.
