The Golden State Warriors squared off against the Milwaukee Bucks Tuesday night without star guard Steph Curry.
No problem for newcomer Jimmy Butler, who nearly had his second triple-double as a Warrior with 24 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists. He once again displayed his all-around playmaking with his well-rounded stat sheet and his aggressive play style with 11 trips to the line, hitting 100 percent of his free throws.
More dismay for Miami Heat fans, who are currently on an eight-game losing streak.
"THAT'S WHY YOU PAY JIMMY BUTLER $50M," one user tweeted. "24 10 AND 8 PUTTING THE TEAM ON HIS BACK WITHOUT STEPH ON THE SECOND NIGHT OF A BACK TO BACK!!! WARRIORS SEASON STAYS ALIVE."
Whether it be blown double-digit leads, blowout losses, or...both, Miami has hit a wall in the last stride of its season. Without a game-changer in the lineup, the Heat lack firepower and direction. Bam Adebayo and Terry Rozier have regressed as well, unable to be the stars Miami needs since losing Butler.
Meanwhile, Warriors fans couldn't be happier, as they moved to 15-2 with Butler. Golden State has won eight of its last nine, revitalizing its season since acquiring the six-time All-Star forward.
Butler's star performance revived memories of his legendary 56-point game against the Bucks in the 2023 postseason. Another painful reminder of how essential Butler was to Miami.
Jayden Armant is a graduate of the Howard University School of Communications and a contributor to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.
