Ranking every Miami Heat player based on their performance without Jimmy Butler

9. Nikola Jovic

Nikola Jovic has found minutes recently with all of the injuries the Heat have been dealing with. In those minutes, he has shown his ability to space the floor and contribute to Miami’s game plan. This has helped him earn trust from Coach Spoelstra. He was inserted into the starting lineup against the Lakers and helped contribute to the win by scoring 15 points to go along with eight rebounds.

8. Jamal Cain

Jamal Cain has been a two-way project with the Miami Heat for a while. He earned this ranking because of his impressive performance against the Golden State Warriors. He scored 18 points on 50 percent shooting.

6. Kyle Lowry

Kyle Lowry has continued to step up as a leader for the Heat, especially when Butler has been out. His numbers aren’t what they once were, but he still finds ways to impact the game by drawing charges and setting the tone on defense.

5. Kevin Love

Another veteran who has been impressive over this stretch has been Kevin Love. He has continued to rebound the ball well and occasionally knock down 3-pointers. His outlet passes have changed the dynamic of Miami’s fast-break offense, which is critical to their scoring when Butler is out. His 20 points against the Suns helped keep the Heat in the game.

4. Duncan Robinson

Duncan Robinson has become the guy who steps up whenever the Miami Heat need him to. He has knocked down 17 3-pointers in the games Butler has missed, while shooting the ball at a very high clip. His development as an all-around basketball player has been on full display, especially his ability to attack the basket. His best performance came against the Atlanta Hawks, in which he scored 27 points and knocked down four triples.