The Miami Heat, who had won 10 of their previous 13 games, had an incredible night led by star Jimmy Butler, who scored a career-high 37 points to help the team defeat
the Utah Jazz on Saturday. Butler gave a fantastic performance, showcasing his abilities from mid-range, the free throw line, the paint, and even three-point range.
He extended his streak of at least one three-pointer made in a game to 14 games in the victory, going perfect for three from beyond the arc. Now that Butler has undoubtedly been adding that shot to his repertoire, it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Butler told ClutchPoints after the game that it had not been a focus of attention. As a result, he even expressed confidence that the Heat star could solely shoot threes and have “a really good percentage,” but he prefers “running into people and seeing who’s gonna fall down first.”
“It hasn’t been emphasized. If I wanted to shoot all threes, I could, and I believe I would achieve a high percentage. Butler stated, “I just like running into the paint and running into people to see who falls down first.” “When I attack, I believe we are at our best; I get to get my shooters engaged, I get to getmy
Erik Spoelstra suggests putting Butler in the three-point battle next season.
Butler even got the seal of approval from Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra that the 34-year old is “a great shooter.” He even vouched for Butler to be in the three-point shooting contest next season, but humorously questioned if he could bet money on it.
“He’s a great shooter. Why not? It’s a little pop-a-shot for him. Put him in the three point contest next year,” Spoelstra said. “Allow him just to shoot that shot. I’ll put my money on him. Am I allowed to do that? Don’t put him in the three-point contest.”
Butler saying this portion of the seasonn is “the fun part”
There is always talk every season about Butler turning his play up a notch during this time of the season, and this year is no different. After the game, Butler would say to the media that “this is the fun part” and that all the preparation Miami goes throughout the season is built up for the current state.
“I love this game, I love this city, this organization with these guys that I get to hoop with. This is this is the fun part,” Butler said. “This is what you do the entire summer, the preseason, before all started, and now you get to get to show out, show everybody who you are as an individual as a player, and who your team is. Right now is when we all want to be playing. We want to keep winning. We want to play into June.”
So far on the season, Butler is averaging 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 50.1 percent from the field. At any rate, in terms of his percentage from three-point range, it’s at 44 percent, the highest it has ever been in his career.
With the gritty win over the Jazz, it puts the Heat’s record at 34-26 which places them sixth in the Eastern Conference. Subsequently, their next date will be the final contest in the short two-game home stand as they will take on the Detroit Pistons Tuesday night.
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