The Miami Heat currently sit at 4-7 in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Not an ideal start at all, they have a ton of work to do as they progress through the remainder of their season if they hope to accomplish the goals that Miami Heat typically set for themselves.
As their head coach estimates that they will though and as they have across so many different seasons before this one, they will continue to get better as they tinker to figure some things out. That’s the future though and while that’s very important, a couple of past instances are of the most important matters right now.
Specifically, you take something that the Miami Heat’s best player at the moment, Jimmy Butler, has made a habit of doing since joining the Miami Heat. Jimmy Butler is a bulldozer when it comes to getting to his spots in the midrange area, in the paint, and at the rim.
Now, because he does that with such great effectiveness, he will always be able to draw a ton of attention when he’s down there, headed that way, or even forecasted to go that way based on what the offense is doing.
The Miami Heat have work to do to get to where they want to be this year. However, this ‘classic’ Jimmy Butler play should provide multi-layered optimism.
At times, Jimmy Butler will pass out of what looks to be a wide-open layup opportunity to what, more than likely, is a wide-open look at a more efficient shot in today’s NBA, the three-pointer. A bucket is a bucket though and especially in the NBA, so logical thinking would just say to “take the easy bucket”, right?
That’s the thought from this vantage, at least.
But in their last game, albeit a tough narrow defeat on the back of a Josh Hart buzzer-beating backbreaker of a three, Jimmy Butler’s classic notion of passing out of a layup was finally made good on.
Now, why is this important? It’s important for several reasons, with each building on the previous.
First of all, Jimmy does this a lot and it doesn’t always work out, but it’s always good to see unselfishness pay off. Secondly, Duncan Robinson made the shot, continuing in his diverse resurgence for the Miami Heat.
Lastly though, this is the type of electricity that got the Miami Heat the lead and had them in control of the game. If and when they play like this, they can play with anyone in the league, even with their current deficiencies.
And this is why you are sure they can improve, but they have to commit to the coherence that they need to play with. And that’s also why it was good to see this classic Jimmy Butler play go right for once.