If the Miami Heat ever needed a Jimmy Butler game, Thursday’s, 117-112, overtime victory over the Charlotte Hornets was, indeed, one of those nights. Relative to a 5-7 start in this early season, it’s been quite difficult for Miami to string together wins, let alone provide a consistent winning effort.
While their offensive stagnancies and defensive lapses did continue in a five-point win over Charlotte, who were without Lamelo Ball and Gordon Hayward, this was the game where the Heat needed their leading scorer—to be the leading scorer.
Butler would do just that as he scored 23 of his season-high 35 points in the second half, as the Heat superstar added a near triple-double with ten rebounds and eight assists. Most of his individual offensive production stemmed from his countless drives to the basket, as Jimmy’s unmatched ability to play aggressively would warrant a 13-for-15 night from the free-throw line.
However, as much as Butler’s finishing prowess has allowed Miami to win games and make deep postseason runs, year after year, a key component of his latest performance was the subtle appearance of the midrange game.