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Three of Jimmy Butler’s best games against the Miami Heat

By Allana Tachauer

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 24: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket against Hassan Whiteside #21 of the Miami Heat during the game on November 24, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 24: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket against Hassan Whiteside #21 of the Miami Heat during the game on November 24, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, IL – DECEMBER 10: Jimmy Butler #21 of the Chicago Bulls handles the ball during a game against the Miami Heat on December 10, 2016 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – DECEMBER 10: Jimmy Butler #21 of the Chicago Bulls handles the ball during a game against the Miami Heat on December 10, 2016 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

December 10, 2016

Before Butler got traded to the Timberwolves, he was a member of the Chicago Bulls.

And though there were rumblings of locker room problems there too, they were primarily between him, Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose.

So during the 2016-17 season, once both Noah and Rose took off for the New York Knicks and it finally became Butler’s team, the only thing people focused on was what he could do on the court.

Which, spoiler alert, was be pretty darn impressive.

That year, the Houston-native averaged a career-high 23.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.9 steals a game, in 37.0 minutes of play.

And on December 10, 2016, he totaled 31 points on 8-for-15 shooting from the field (and a whopping 14-of-15 from the charity stripe), alongside seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

The Bulls ended up coming out on top, 105-100, despite Goran Dragic recording 21 points and 11 assists, and Hassan Whiteside scoring 20 points of his own.

The forward held things down for Chicago, but ironically, Dwyane Wade did some damage of his own; Wade finished the matchup with 28 points on 11-for-24 shooting.

In a surprise twist, the Three Alphas era didn’t turn out as poorly as some people predicted. They finished 41-41 under head coach Fred Hoiberg, earning the eighth and final seed in the 2017 NBA Playoffs.

And while they may have been knocked out 4-2 in the first round by the Boston Celtics, they ultimately faired better than the Heat, who unfortunately missed the postseason by a single game that year.

Thanks to none other than the Bulls.

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