4️⃣ Jimmy out of sorts
The Heat have been without Adebayo and Tyler Herro for a while now and there's no timetable for their return. If they don't want a repetition of the last regular season, they will have to rely on Butler to guide the ship while they're out. And that means every night.
Against the Cavaliers, Butler looked completely off right from the start and never looked right, be it with the lack of lift in his jump shot or poor decision-making. Sixteen points on 5 for 15 shooting and two assists won't cut it, especially if the process to get to that is hard to explain as well.
In the first play, Butler drives right where there's less space, with the left open to create a 2-on-1 situation with Orlando and Allen. Butler never gets past Dean Wade and opts for a turnaround fadeaway with the defender on him.
The second clip is a bit of a rarity. Instead of Butler taking the contact, he goes for a reverse shot after having won his position.
Against Tristan Thompson with a clear mismatch and only Wade inside to help, Butler decides to go for a pull-up mid-range shot with no lift, instead of attacking a slower defender with no big rim protection threat lurking.
And last, in transition, Jimmy never looks comfortable with his dribble. He takes a slight hit from Allen and loses his balance, opting for a runner with Max Strus in front of him over dishing to Jaquez cutting baseline or an open finish with his right.