Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler Puts On Career Passing Display In Wizards Win

Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler Puts On Career Passing Display In Wizards Win

It’s been documented that an underrated area of Butler’s game is his passing ability and it was shown once more. He set the table and showed, once again, that he should be considered among the elite among current small forwards in the playmaking category.

Here’s how it’s all broken down, per NBA.com footage.

JIMMY KEEPS IT SIMPLE, PLACES HIS PASSES ON TIME — AND ON TARGET

It’s clear that Butler prefers to operate in the mid-post area. It’s a propeller for many of his go-to moves on offense.

This includes using pump fakes, jab steps, size-up, and hesitation dribbles to score.

In recent years, especially during his last three seasons in Miami, passing out of this position has really become a staple of his offensive attack.

During this possession, the Miami Heat action starts with Duncan Robinson setting a back screen for Tyler Herro, for whom Kyle Kuzma immediately tags, preventing an inside score for the cutter. Butler reads that Herro doesn’t have an opening and refrains from threading the needle.

As the Heat continue running off-ball action, Jimmy patiently awaits as Robinson curls off a screen from Marcus Garrett. This could potentially have been a stagger screen for Robinson, but he has enough quickness to fly around the perimeter and break free from his defender.

However, Butler distributes and places the pass just in time for Duncan to set his feet, as he makes one of his eight three-pointers on the evening.