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Tag: Jimmy Butler

  • What we learned as Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga fuel Warriors’ season-opening road win over Lakers

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    The Warriors were sloppy early, heated up later, buckled late but never broke.

    And their veterans never looked too old or too slow.

    That was plenty for Golden State to lay a 119-109 lashing on the Los Angeles Lakers in the season opener Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

    Four Warriors scored in double figures, led by 31 points from Jimmy Butler III. Stephen Curry finished with 23, while Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield each tallied 17.

    Leading throughout the second half by as much as 17, the Warriors were threatened by a late LA rally that trimmed with margin to as little as six (105-99, 3:59 remaining) but managed to hang on behind Butler and Curry.

    Luka Dončić scored a game-high 43 points, adding 12 rebounds and nine assists.

    Here are three observations from the first of four meetings with their Southern California rivals, who were without LeBron James, who is out with sciatica:

    Robin does a Batman turn

    After hobbling through the preseason on a bum left ankle that forced him to miss three of the five games, Butler, aka Robin to Curry’s Batman, wasted no time showing he was ready for the season to start.

    Listed as “probable” on the team injury report, Butler put the Warriors on his back from the opening tip, pouring in 12 of their 28 first-quarter points in his first nine minutes. He drained a 3-pointer within the first two minutes and shot 7-of-7 from the line.

    The other four starters combined for 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting in the opening quarter.

    Butler’s early blast was crucial to the Warriors taking a 28-22 lead into the third quarter.

    Butler’s 31 points came on 7-of-14 shooting from the field, including 1-of-2 from distance and 16-of-16 from the line. He was plus-20 over 34 minutes.

    It appears Robin’s ankle is, um, just fine.

    Kerr gives Kuminga the start

    Scanning his roster and wondering who might prevent Dončić from dropping 50, coach Steve Kerr turned to Jonathan Kuminga.

    The results? The MVP candidate taught Kuminga a few lessons. Dončić’s 43 points came on 17-of-27 shooting from the field but only 2-of-10 from deep as Golden State limited LA to 25 percent from deep.

    On offense, however, Kuminga punished the Lakers, his 17 points coming on 6-of-11 shooting from the field, including 4-of-6 from deep. The four triples tie his career high. He added a team-high nine rebounds, with six assists. He finished plus-4 over 33 minutes.

    Kuminga was the catalyst during a third quarter in which the Warriors outscored LA 35-25, scoring 13 points in nine minutes on 5-of-5 shooting, including 3-of-3 beyond the arc.

    Though Kuminga likely will come off the bench when everyone is healthy, the age of the veterans on the roster ensures there is no doubt he’ll get many more opportunities to start.

    Horford’s debut

    Kerr indicated throughout the preseason that he wasn’t sure if Al Horford would open the season as the starting center. His concern centered on finding the proper distribution of minutes to get the most out of the 39-year-old vet.

    Feeling comfortable with Draymond Green’s ability to defend 7-foot Lakers center Deandre Ayton, Kerr brought Horford off the bench to replace Green with 5:40 left in the first quarter, keeping his minutes to intervals of no more than six minutes.

    Horford’s performance was a mixed bag. Playing 20 minutes, he totaled five points and five rebounds while committing four fouls and two turnovers. He was minus-10 for the night.

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    Monte Poole

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  • What they’re saying: Could the Sixers go for a Jimmy Butler reunion?

    What they’re saying: Could the Sixers go for a Jimmy Butler reunion?

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    So here we are – again. 

    Another Sixers postseason run stopped well short of title aspirations. Another playoff series where Joel Embiid had to battle through injury, only to be met with a wall again. And another offseason where the front office will still be left looking for ways to finally push the team over that hump that has stood for years now. 

    And weirdly enough, this playoff defeat somehow wasn’t as painful as the others. The Knicks played them tough, and granted, the Sixers set themselves back – a lot – but they kept battling. 

    Is it admiration? Or are fans just numb to this kind of thing now? 

    Either way, here’s what they’re saying about the Sixers and early reads of a crucial offseason…

    A Butler reunion?

    David Aldridge | The Athletic

    It’s going to take a bit more time for the dust to settle, but one of the immediate points to highlight for the offseason in the immediate aftermath of the first-round loss was that the Sixers will have tons of picks and tons of cap space, which means tons of options, including a major one if there is a deal to be made with the Miami Heat. 

    Per Aldridge, the Heat are likely to be facing a decision over where to take their club next, and that will include whether star veteran Jimmy Butler remains part of that picture. 

    And that could create the opening for the Sixers to swoop in with an offer. 

    Wrote Aldridge:

    Embiid and Butler left on good terms when Butler went to Miami, and they remain solid friends. Embiid made his feelings about Butler clear when Butler went on a 56-point heater against Milwaukee in the first round last year. The feelings appear to be mutual. Embiid seemed more than willing to cede some of the spotlight to Maxey; it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t be willing to do the same for Butler, given the latter’s postseason impact. (It is fair to question, though, whether Maxey would be as free as he was this season to create and seek scoring opportunities with the thirsty Butler aboard.)

    The Sixers have multiple future first-round picks, along with their own 2024 selection, that they could put in a potential package for Butler. They don’t, though, have existing players under contract that would likely entice the Heat to the bargaining table. A third team would likely be needed to provide players who would fit [a Bam Adebayo/Tyler Herro] timeline for Miami. With the new collective bargaining agreement rules clamping down on aggregation in trades for teams that have hit the second tax apron, multi-team deals aren’t as easy to make as they used to be. But they aren’t impossible. [The Athletic]

    Butler will turn 35 in September. He’s only going to have so many shots at a championship left, but at the same time, the Sixers might be down to their last shot with Embiid leading the charge, too. 

    More for George?

    Brian Windhorst | ESPN

    Paul George looks to be the immediate big name in play for the Sixers, however, which will almost assuredly take a max contract (that they can afford now) and a decision on George’s part to move on from the Clippers. 

    ESPN insider Brian Windhorst believes this is where Daryl Morey will “go to work,” be it through a big free agency signing or trade. 

    What Windhorst had to say about the Sixers, George, and the Clippers:

    The Clippers lost their first-round series to the Mavericks after this. 

    Windhorst also puts the Butler possibility in play, along with a pursuit of Brandon Ingram as another potential route. 

    The LeBron play?

    Sam Quinn | CBS Sports

    Always a seeming long shot, but always thrown out there regardless. 

    The Lakers also dipped out of the first round in a 4-1 series loss to the defending champion Nuggets, and now LeBron James faces another decision over where to go next. 

    He’s 39 and will turn 40 midway through next season. He really doesn’t have much, if anything, left to prove as a player. His spot as one of the all-time greats is already well-cemented. But if he’s after one more championship before he calls it a career, Sam Quinn argues that the Sixers might offer him the best shot, provided he doesn’t just stay put in LA.

    Wrote Quinn:

    Philadelphia isn’t quite as title-desperate as New York, but it’s been over 40 years since the 76ers last raised a banner. It’s a similarly sports-crazed northeastern city, and given where the 76ers are in their contending cycle, they’re likely to be somewhat more receptive to James as a conquering hero than the Knicks would be. Philadelphia has watched Embiid-led teams lose in every possible way in the postseason. Their fans know changes are needed. Knicks fans—justifiably—have practically deified Jalen Brunson. They love the version of the team that currently exists and might not be especially eager to break it up, even partially, for a short-term James rental. A New York title probably means more, but a Philadelphia title probably comes with more credit.

    James would probably prefer to win in Los Angeles if possible. The “if possible” moniker there is key. Both the Lakers and the 76ers have injury-prone star big men. Embiid is the better of the two players. Davis, given his defensive versatility and comfort diving on pick-and-rolls, might be the easier fit. The Lakers don’t have a Maxey-caliber guard, but they’re reportedly trying to improve their backcourt this offseason. Perhaps they could trade for a player that functions similarly. They had one of the NBA’s worst head coaches in Darvin Ham this season. They seem interested in upgrading next season. They lack Philadelphia’s cap space, but they have a number of worthwhile role players already in place. [CBS Sports]

    I object to the “title-desperate” part of that, but still, big offseason for the Sixers coming up and no option should probably be dismissed.

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    Nick Tricome

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  • Why Nuggets want Reggie Jackson to stay aggressive during slump: “This team is mad at you if you don’t shoot”

    Why Nuggets want Reggie Jackson to stay aggressive during slump: “This team is mad at you if you don’t shoot”

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    MIAMI — The backcourt that shepherded Denver to consecutive road wins in Miami during last year’s NBA Finals was waiting to check back into the game, waiting to send Heat fans marching toward the exits once again. Clutch time is when the Nuggets’ starters thrive.

    But these two starters decided they’d rather let the backup backcourt do the honors.

    After a barrage of Reggie Jackson jumpers, Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went to coach Michael Malone and told him to keep Jackson and Christian Braun in the game. Malone obliged, and the Nuggets kept pulling away for a 100-88 win that they hope will be important for reasons that transcend their temporary, solitary claim to first place in the West.

    Jackson needed a new dose of confidence.

    “I’ve been in a crazy slump,” he said.

    Earlier in the fourth quarter, Braun scored seven critical points during Nikola Jokic’s rest minutes to protect a slim lead. Then Jackson took over, scoring from 17, 15 and 26 feet on three consecutive possessions in a span of 1:12 to double Denver’s lead and force an Erik Spoelstra timeout.

    “I had Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at the scorer’s table during that stretch. And this speaks a lot about our group,” Malone said. “Both those guys said to me, ‘Coach, let Reggie ride. Let CB ride. This group is playing well.’ And part of our culture — because we do have a culture in Denver as well — part of our culture is being selfless. Getting over yourself. And I think that’s another example of how our team is always getting over the individual, thinking about the collective. Really happy for Reggie Jackson.”

    Malone was not-so-subtly throwing shade at Miami’s “Heat Culture” mantra in his postgame comments, but his proud advocacy for Nuggets Culture was validated by the team’s reaction to Jackson’s heat check.

    “You could see it transpire on the court. That was the cool part,” Jackson told The Denver Post. “I’ve been playing long enough. You see a lot of things the older you get. You witness it. I knew my minutes were kind of up. I knew Jamal was supposed to come on the court. … And then I see Jamal motioning to Coach, like, ‘Keep him in. Let him play.’ I saw Pope doing the same thing for C.B. So that was a really cool moment for C.B. and myself.”

    For Jackson in particular, the vote of confidence was revitalizing. In the first 30 games of the season, he averaged 13.2 points on 48.6% shooting, including 38.1% from 3-point range. He led the Nuggets to a handful of wins in November when Murray was out with a strained hamstring. In the next 35 games entering this matchup, Jackson shot 38.7% from the floor and 30.9% from outside, averaging only 7.4 points and scoring in double figures only 10 times.

    After the win in Miami, he has still gone a season-long 10 consecutive games without touching double digits, but seven of his nine points Wednesday were scored during the game-clinching burst.

    He says his teammates have been urging him to take those shots despite the drop in efficiency.

    “They want me to continue to be myself. Continue to be aggressive. They’ve been kind of upset at me for not playing my game the last few,” Jackson said. “So then I started playing aggressive. Even still in the midst of missing shots. I think I had a 1-for-9 night. I had like a 1-for-7. But just hearing the encouragement from my teammates … once you have a great group like that — front office, coaches, teammates — believing in you like that, you can’t do anything but start believing in yourself again. So like I said: Hit a slump. Had some dark days. Tough days. But having that encouragement has made it easier to come out here and keep attacking, keep pushing ahead and just live with the results.”

    Jackson’s defining quality is his one-on-one scoring capability. There have been flashes in recent games when he puts the moves on an opposing guard but simply misses the shot he generates.

    “That’s the annoying part,” he said. “I think the reassuring part is that I can still get to a spot and get to a shot. So that’s always the best part. I think once I’m not able to get to a shot, that would be a little worrisome. That’s probably when you’ve gotta hang it up. … Just knowing I can still get there. And now it’s on me to go ahead and continue to get in the gym and find a way to complete the play. So that’s really what I’ve been trying to focus on. Footwork. Having my confidence down, and just continuing to trust in the reps, trust in the work.”

    Jackson’s rotations have changed recently. He’s not sharing the floor with Murray much anymore, after a stretch of games in which Malone tried a variation of the second unit that deployed both point guards at the same time. Instead, Justin Holiday is filling the extra backcourt spot in that lineup; Jackson is subbing back in with Jokic to give Murray a brief rest. That’s why Jackson was on the floor as a competitive NBA Finals rematch entered the last five minutes.

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    Bennett Durando

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  • Butler scores 35, Heat rally to beat Celtics 123-116 in East finals opener

    Butler scores 35, Heat rally to beat Celtics 123-116 in East finals opener

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    BOSTON (AP) — The Miami Heat were in need of a calming presence following a sluggish start to their latest conference finals showdown with the Boston Celtics.

    Jimmy Butler provided that and a lot more.

    Butler scored 35 points, including 20 after halftime, and the Heat rallied in the second half to beat the Celtics 123-116 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night.

    He said his teammates have given him confidence.

    “I’m playing at an incredible level because they are allowing me to do so,” Butler said. “They are not putting a limit on my game. They are trusting me with the ball, on the defensive end. I think that’s what any basketball player wants.”

    Miami trailed by nine at the half before turning it around with a franchise playoff-record 46 points in the third and outscoring Boston 66-50 over the final two quarters. It was Butler’s fifth game with 30 or more points this postseason and he added seven assists, six steals and five rebounds.

    “One of the premier two-way basketball players of this association. … That’s what we needed.” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Down the stretch Jimmy was able to do everything we needed – as a scorer and as a facilitator.”

    Bam Adebayo added 20 points and eight rebounds. Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus all added 15 points apiece. The Heat went 16 of 31 from the 3-point line.

    The No. 8-seeded Heat have opened all three playoff series with road victories. Game 2 is Friday in Boston.

    Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 30 points, but didn’t take a shot in the fourth quarter. Jaylen Brown finished with 22 points and nine rebounds. Malcolm Brogdon added 19 points.

    Boston is just 4-4 at home during this postseason.

    “I don’t know why,” Tatum said of their home struggles. “You’ve still got to play the game, you’ve got to make plays, regardless of whether you’re home or away.”

    The Celtics, who are at their best when they’re defending and getting up more shots than their opponents, were 10 of 29 from beyond the arc.

    “We lost our offensive purpose,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.

    The tip-off of the series marked the third time in four seasons that the Heat and Celtics have met in this round. Boston won last year’s matchup in seven games.

    Wednesday’s opener felt every bit like a continuation of that most recent meeting. Boston dominated inside early on and led by nine at halftime.

    Spoelstra said his team was “more intentional” over the final 24 minutes.

    Miami took a page out of the Celtics’ book and used a 13-1 run to quickly erase that gap, tying the game at 78 in the third quarter. During the next timeout Mazzulla was captured by broadcast cameras throwing a clipboard in frustration.

    Boston couldn’t stop the onslaught and Miami then nudged back in front as Butler penetrated to create opportunities for his teammates.

    The Heat outscored the Celtics 46-25 in the period and took a 103-91 lead into the fourth, prompting a few boos from the TD Garden crowd.

    Boston responded, scoring the first seven points of the final period before a 3-pointer by Vincent ended the run.

    Miami led 114-109 with just over three minutes to play when Brogdon was fouled by Butler. But he connected on just 1 of the 2 free throws. Butler was trapped on the next Miami possession before finding Martin for a corner 3.

    Tatum travelled, giving the ball back to the Heat. A Miami miss gave the ball back to Boston, but Tatum was called again for travelling.

    Miami wound the shot clock down before getting a 3-pointer by Butler to rattle in with 1:03 remaining.

    But everything changed in the second half.

    “We are just playing really good basketball,” Butler said. “More than anything, we are staying together through the good and through the bad.”

    ROAD WARRIORS

    The Heat are the fifth team to open with road wins in each of their first three series, joining the 2021 Hawks, 1999 Knicks, 1989 Bulls and 1981 Rockets. The Knicks were the only other No. 8 seed to make the conference finals.

    TIP-INS

    Heat: Miami’s previous high in the playoffs was 43 points in a half against Charlotte in 2016. … Lowry hit 5 of his first 6 shots, scoring 13 points in his first nine minutes of action. … Butler (12) and Adebayo (6) combined for 18 of Miami’s 28 points in the first quarter. It marked the seventh time Butler has reached double figures in the first period this postseason.

    Celtics: Marcus Smart finished with 13 points and 11 assists. … Led 66-57 at halftime. With the score tied at 47, Boston outscored Miami 19-10 over the final 5:26 of the half. … Brown wore his black protective mask after going without it for the final two games of their semifinals matchup with the 76ers. He fractured a facial bone late in the regular season. … New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was in attendance.

    ___

    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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  • Kings outlast Heat 119-113, win first game of Mike Brown era

    Kings outlast Heat 119-113, win first game of Mike Brown era

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    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kevin Huerter scored 27 points, hitting seven 3-pointers, to help the Sacramento Kings win their first game of the season with a 119-113 victory over the Miami Heat on Saturday.

    It’s the first win for Kings coach Mike Brown, who was hired this past offseason. The Los Angles Lakers are the last winless team in the NBA.

    Kings rookie Keegan Murray scored a career-best 22 points.

    With the Kings up four points, Huerter was fouled with 14.2 seconds left. He made both free throws to extend Sacramento’s lead to six and seal the win.

    De’Aaron Fox had scored 27 points or more during the Kings’ first four games of the season. He finished with 17 points and added 13 rebounds, a career-high.

    Domantas Sabonis picked up two early fouls in the third quarter and sat with five fouls until the early fourth. Sabonis finished with 18 points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes. He fouled out with 5:52 left.

    Harrison Barnes scored 11 points. All five Sacramento starters scored in double-figures.

    Tyler Herro led the Heat (2-5) with 34 points and knocked down five 3-pointers. Bam Adebayo added 23 points and Kyle Lowry had 15.

    Jimmy Butler scored 13 points, his lowest scoring output of the season.

    After Sacramento went up 42-33 with 7:28 in the second quarter, they ended the first half on a 29-13 run to stretch the lead to 22 at the break.

    The Heat outscored Sacramento 33-19 in the third, which cut the Sacramento lead to six. Miami cut the lead to as close as one after a Herro And-1.

    KENTUCKY REUNION

    For the first time in an NBA regular season game, Malik Monk, Fox and Adebayo shared the court together The trio played together during the 2016-17 season at Kentucky. The Wildcats reached the regional final that year.

    TIP-INS

    Heat: F/C Dewayne Dedmon missed Saturday’s game with a non-COVID illness. Dedmon played 34 games with Sacramento during the 2019-20 season… Miami coming in had won three of four against Sacramento.

    Kings: Brown successfully won a challenge in the first quarter when a foul was called on Sabonis. It was changed to an offensive foul on Adebayo… Sacramento coming in had committed the 5th most fouls in the NBA, averaging 23.8 per game. They had BLANK against Miami… Kings shot a season-low BLANK 3-pointers.

    UP NEXT

    Heat: Hosts Golden State on Tuesday.

    Kings: Start a four-game road trip and play the Hornets Monday.

    ———

    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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