Golden State Warriors’ Jimmy Butler returned to Miami on Tuesday night, but his homecoming was marred by a blowout loss 112-86 against the Heat. Playing without injured teammate Steph Curry for the second straight game, the Warriors struggled to score against a motivated defense.
Butler’s video tribute before the game received a mixed reaction from the crowd, with some fans cheering and others booing. The star player didn’t live up to expectations, scoring just 11 points on five of 12 shots.
The Heat dominated from the start, with Bam Adebayo scoring 14 of his 27 points in the first quarter. Andrew Wiggins, who was sent to the Warriors for Butler, had a strong defensive performance while adding 10 points and five assists.
Butler sat out the final minutes of the game, but not before showing respect to his former team by greeting friends courtside after the buzzer. When asked about his departure from the Warriors, Butler emphasized that he has closure and is grateful for his time in Golden State.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6231275/2025/03/25/jimmy-butler-miami-return-warriors-heat