5 Defining Miami Heat stats that explain the season so far, and where it's going
Jimmy Butler playing like a star, the Heat's improving defense and the Terry Rozier effect.
By Wes Goldberg
Jimmy Butler’s usage
Butler is posting the lowest usage rate in a Heat uniform this season but he’s starting to ramp up for the playoff push. In his last seven games prior to missing Miami’s last three as he attends to a death in the family, Butler had posted three of his 10 highest usage-rate games of the season.
The Heat are 12-6 when Butler uses at least 24% of Miami’s possessions. In other words, the Heat are good when their star player plays like a star. Butler will have had 2 ½ weeks off by the time he returns for Friday’s game in New Orleans, meaning he should be fresh and ready to keep playing at a star level.