Tag: Jimmy Butler

Sixers fans welcome Jimmy Butler back to Philly with chorus of boos

The faithful fan base in Philadelphia greeted Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler with a chorus of boos.

It has been five months since Jimmy Butler left the Philadelphia 76ers to join the Miami Heat in a sign-and-trade deal in June on the first night of a crazy free agency period. Since that time there has been plenty of speculation of what the reaction from the fan base would be when he would make his first visit back to the Wells Fargo Center.

Well, on Saturday, that question was finally answered. The fan base did not care for what Butler gave to the Sixers franchise in his 55 regular-season games plus his work in the playoffs. When Butler was introduced first in the Heat starting lineup, he was met with a rather loud and long chorus of boos.

Butler averaged 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists during his brief time in Philadelphia, but he decided to move on. That’s life in the NBA as players look for the best situation for themselves. Both teams sit at the top of the Eastern Conference standings and it will be a good test for both teams. [lawrence-related id=19925,19917,19904]

Sixers coach Brett Brown on Heat’s Jimmy Butler: ‘I wish him well’

Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown wishes Jimmy Butler well ahead of a matchup with the Miami Heat.

The Philadelphia 76ers will get set to take on current Miami Heat and former Sixers forward Jimmy Butler and it brings up a lot of intrigue for this specific matchup on Saturday night.

Butler recently gave a vague reason for why he left the Sixers for Miami in the offseason and there was a lot of speculation that it had something to do with Butler’s relationship with Sixers coach Brett Brown.

Ahead of Saturday’s matchup, Brown gave his thoughts on what happened with Butler:

I mean, he had some great games for us and we came close at the end and sometimes things just don’t work out. He’s in a good place, he’s in a really good place, and I wish him well.

The relationship between the two men was something that was always looked at under a microscope and it’s something that will be speculated on by plenty of people for a while. Nobody truly knows what went on behind the scenes except for Brown and Butler and it will remain that way until one of them decides to open up about it.

The Sixers and the Heat matchup at 7:30 p.m. EST from the Wells Fargo Center. [lawrence-related id=19917,19904,19894]

Sixers vs. Heat preview: Jimmy Butler makes his return to Philly

The Philadelphia 76ers seek a fourth straight win against the Miami Heat.

It’s been five months since Jimmy Butler decided to leave the Philadelphia 76ers for the Miami Heat in a sign-and-trade after 55 games with the franchise and a nice playoff run. Five months of fans dealing with anger and shock over the Sixers losing a player of such star caliber.

On Saturday night, they’ll finally be able to unleash that pent up anger.

The Sixers will look to make it four wins in a row when they welcome in Butler and the red hot Heat who are sitting at 11-3 after they knocked off the Chicago Bulls on Friday. Philadelphia will be looking to remain undefeated at home after they beat the San Antonio Spurs on Friday and both teams will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back.

With that said, it’s time for the preview with everything that comes with it:

How to watch Sixers vs. Heat:

  • Date: Saturday, November 23
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
  • Location: Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
  • TV: NBATV, NBC Sports Philadelphia

Injury Report

  • Sixers: NOT YET SUBMITTED
  • Heat: NOT YET SUBMITTED

Storylines

Embiid’s relationship with Butler

Sixers All-Star Joel Embiid has made it clear that he and Butler still talk on a regular basis and he has made it known that he is a close friend of his. However, once between the lines, that friendship goes out the window and it’s time for work. Embiid understands that more than anybody as he stated:

It doesn’t matter, we’ve got to get the win. That’s my guy, obviously we talk a lot, but we’ve got to get the win. They(Miami) have been doing pretty good. They’re a pretty good team, so it’s going to be a challenge. We’ve got to come out and be ready like we did tonight and not mess around. At the end of the day, it’s all about winning the game.

Praise for Simmons

The Sixers All-Star point guard has received a ton of criticism over his lack of shooting, but that doesn’t mean he’ll back down. No matter what obstacle is thrown his way, he always seems to stand tall and bounce back. That’s something that caught coach Brett Brown’s eye after the win on Friday as he stated:

I see it in him, when he missed some free throws, it didn’t surprise me, like he was going to come back and make some. He doesn’t melt. Ben Simmons does not melt and I think that he, there’s an inner strength and confidence that I see at a young age that he bounces back.

Prediction

The Heat are more than just Butler. They have a roster filled with guys that only the hardcore NBA junkies are aware of, but guys like Duncan Robinson, Bam Adebayo, Kendrick Nunn, and others are stepping up and playing integral roles in the team’s success. The Sixers are the more talented team on paper, but this certainly will not be a cakewalk by any means. The Sixers better buckle down and be prepared for a fight, because that’s exactly what they’ll be getting.

Pick: Sixers squeak this one out

Sixers vs. Heat season series

Game 1 November 23:

Game 2 December 18:

Game 3 December 28:

Game 4 February 3:

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Sixers star Joel Embiid on Heat forward Jimmy Butler: ‘That’s my guy’

Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid says Jimmy Butler is still his guy ahead of a matchup with the Miami Heat.

The Philadelphia 76ers used a balanced effort to knock off the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night 115-104 as six players scored in double-digits. Tobias Harris led the way with 26 points and six rebounds and Joel Embiid added 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting with 14 rebounds.

Up next on the docket is an old friend making his first trip back to Philadelphia since the summer’s sign-and-trade. Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat will invade the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday as the Sixers will look to remain undefeated at home.

Butler recently praised Embiid calling him “special” and saying that he can be the best player in the league. Ahead of Saturday, Embiid won’t put any extra emotion into the game, but he will acknowledge that Butler is still a close friend.

Embiid said:

It doesn’t matter, we’ve got to get the win. That’s my guy, obviously we talk a lot, but we’ve got to get the win. They(Miami) have been doing pretty good. They’re a pretty good team, so it’s going to be a challenge. We’ve got to come out and be ready like we did tonight and not mess around. At the end of the day, it’s all about winning the game.

There will no doubt be an extra charge in the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday when Butler makes his return to Philly, but there is still work to be done. The Sixers are still trying to work out a lot of kinks and work out a lot of different issues on their team. It offers another opportunity to grow as a unit. [lawrence-related id=19854,19845,19823]

Heat forward Jimmy Butler praises Sixers star Joel Embiid as ‘special’

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler has a lot of respect for Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid.

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The Philadelphia 76ers will welcome in an old friend on Saturday when they host Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat. Butler was a trade acquisition by the Sixers back in November of 2018 and Philadelphia was hoping that he, Joel Embiid, and Ben Simmons would lead the Sixers to long-term success.

Instead, Butler left for the Heat in free agency leaving the basketball world a bit stunned and the Sixers responded by re-signing Tobias Harris and acquiring Al Horford.

Butler’s short-lived Sixers career ended after 55 games with averages of 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists and he took on the role as the team’s closer. It also came with a lot of drama and he piqued everybody’s interest when he gave a vague reason for why he left Philadelphia for Miami over the summer.

That does not mean he doesn’t have respect for his former Sixers teammates, however, as in a recent interview with The Athletic’s Michael Lee, he had some high praise for Embiid saying:

“Because that (expletive) is special. For real,” Butler said. “Any time I text him, which we text plenty, FaceTime, phone calls. I always tell him, ‘Continue to show why you’re the best player in this league.’ Because I saw it. I saw it. He can do everything. Like, legit, he can do everything. He works and I respect it. He works. And then he’s in the house. He’s with his girlfriend. That’s how you become the best player, you’ve got to be obsessed with it. And he is. He is.

“I think the bond just grew from there, because he would always ask questions. We’d always watch film together. And yeah, we’d be joking around a lot, too. But he wants to do right and when he does wrong and you tell him, he’ll be like, ‘Yeah, you’re right. You’re right.’ I was like, you know what, you’re a real (expletive). When somebody tells you you’re wrong, you’re like, ‘Yeah.’ And thinking about it, you’re like, ‘OK, OK, I see what you’re talking about.’ If somebody tells me I’m wrong, I’m like, you could be right, or maybe I could’ve handled that better. Like, ‘Yeah, you’re probably right.’ ”

Embiid is one of the premier players in the league regardless of position and he shows off his talent nightly for the Sixers. He’s averaging 22.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in the early going for the 9-5 Sixers and he definitely still has a good relationship with Butler. During his brawl with Minnesota Timberwolves, Embiid dragged Butler into it with an Instagram comment and Butler knew he would be the one to drag him into it.

Regardless, Saturday figures to be an emotional game as Butler will probably hear a lot of boos from the Philadelphia faithful while Embiid has to battle against one of his close friends rather than by his side. [lawrence-related id=19794,19785,19777]

Jimmy Butler is fascinated by the swag that Tyler Herro plays with

The nine-year NBA veteran marveled at the swag that Tyler Herro shows when he is out on the court with the Heat.

On Wednesday, the Miami Heat received timely contributions from second-year guard Duncan Robinson and rookie guard Tyler Herro in a 124-100 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Robinson set a Heat franchise record with seven made 3-pointers in the second quarter en route to a career-high 29 points against his former Michigan coach, John Beilein.

He finished 9-of-15 from beyond the arc in the game.

Herro, on the other hand, recorded 22 points off of the bench on 9-of-13 shooting from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range.

Afterward, teammate Jimmy Butler was asked about the two players and their ability to shoot the ball from deep and he marveled at the swag that they each play with.

Duncan isn’t just a shooter, you know? I cringe every once in a while when he dribbles the ball but I think he can do multiple things: He rebounds well for his position, he can pass the ball. Same thing with Tyler [Herro]. We have so many guys that can do so many things. Between them two, I don’t know whose swag is more incredible when they are out there on the floor. They be showin’ out.

While Butler was certainly the marquee acquisition over the summer, the emergence of the younger players on the team, like Robinson, Herro and Kendrick Nunn, has helped the Heat begin the year off on an incredible start.

On any given night, the Heat have a few players that could go off and on Wednesday, it was Robinson. Butler still carried his weight, though, by adding 21 points. He struggled to shoot, going just 3-of-14 from the field, but converted all 13 of his free-throw attempts.

The Heat return to play the Chicago Bulls on Friday.

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Point guards aren’t what they used to be and here’s why

LeBron James and Luka Doncic are the best point guards in the NBA…but they’re also forwards.

We’ve seen positionless basketball take hold of the league since the days of LeBron James’ Miami Heat. The Warriors were the apex of that with Curry playing off ball and Draymond Green running point.

Now, we see that style of play more than ever in so many different ways. It isn’t just centers stepping out and playing the perimeter like Chris Bosh did back then. Now, we’ve got small forwards shifting to the four, everybody switching every thing on defense and gigantic centers stepping out and shooting threes.

Maybe the most impressive trend, and probably the one we take for granted the most, is the evolution of the lead ball handler in the NBA. No longer is it just reserved for guards. More and more, teams are just handing the ball to their best player and letting them cook.

It’s been a joy to watch over the last decade and, honestly, it’s something we probably don’t think about so much because we’re so spoiled by LeBron James.

Just taking a look at the league’s leading ball handlers over the last decade, though, shows us that this isn’t what we’re used to.

Ball handler isn’t the same as point guard anymore

Let’s hop back in time for a bit. Five years ago in the 2014-15 NBA season, there was only one non-guard that ranked in the league’s top 20 assist leaders and, of course, it was James.

He and Blake Griffin were also the only two non-guards ranked in the top 20 in touches per game around the league. They were 10th and 12, respectively.

Let’s fast forward back to today. Five years later, three forwards are the league’s leaders in touches per game starting with Luka Doncic (103.3), James (97.1) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (91.0). It’s not a coincidence that those three are leading most people’s MVP conversations right now.

There’s more. James and Doncic rank first and second in the league in assists. Antetokounmpo ranks 17th and leads his team with 6.5 assists per game. Those three, along with Ben Simmons and Jimmy Butler, are the only non-guards that rank in the top 20 in assists.

If we go buy the old school basketball rule of “you are what you guard” then, technically, all of those guys with the exception of the 6’10 Simmons are playing forward. Yet, they’ve all got the entire offense at their fingertips.

It’s not just a gimmick, either. They’re all actually good at it. I mean, look at these numbers from James the other night.

And this creativity from Doncic here is insane — for anybody, not just a forward.

And those two are just the tip of the iceberg. We haven’t even talked about Draymond Green, Nikola Jokic and Kawhi Leonard, who have all run point at front court positions this season.

This is the game’s natural evolution

As things have become more spread out and teams are thinking about how to best utilize their talent, they’ve begun to trust their best playmakers to actually make plays no matter what position they’re playing.

There have always been solid passers from bigger positions. Think about Arvydas Sabonis back in his hayday or even someone like Al Horford, who is proficient but has never played that “point center” role like a Nikola Jokic is right now.

Some of that is a matter of coming up at the wrong place and wrong time. Most of it is just the evolution of modern basketball and putting players in the best positions they can to thrive.

Spoelstra put it perfectly in this ESPN piece seven years ago.

“We have to view this team in a different lens,” Spoelstra said. “When we try to think conventionally and put guys in certain boxes or positions, it really hamstrings us. Not only in terms of our flow but mentally, too. We developed that term [position-less] just for guys to understand our versatility and how we need to play.”

Now, instead of it just being one team that is positionless, it’s multiple. And the game of basketball is so much better because of it.

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