Jimmy Butler returned to the Miami Heat lineup after missing seven games due to a sprained toe, scoring 31 points, including crucial free throws in the final seconds of overtime, leading the Heat to a narrow 96-95 victory over the Brooklyn Nets during Monday night’s NBA action.
Butler, who played 40 minutes in his comeback game, expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance.
“I think I did enough running and conditioning to be able to come back and play 40 (minutes). Whatever was needed, we got to do,” Butler said.
Tyler Herro also shone brightly with 29 points and 11 rebounds, while Bam Adebayo contributed 11 points and 20 rebounds, aiding Miami’s third consecutive win. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra praised the team’s ability to find different ways to win, especially when the game gets challenging and shots aren’t falling.
“I think this is good for us,” Spoelstra said. “This is what I wanted, to see if we could win some games with different solutions when we weren’t necessarily making shots, where it potentially could be a little bit ugly, and then you just figure out how to win at the end.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets Updates
For Brooklyn, Mikal Bridges scored 26 points, and Cam Thomas added 23. However, the Nets suffered their third straight loss, continuing a slump with eight losses in their last nine games. Nets coach Jacque Vaughn emphasized the need for performance and commitment from the entire team.
“We’re just in a position right now where you have to perform, and that’s across the board,” Vaughn said. “That’s a challenge to the entire group from the beginning of the game to the end to be locked in and give everything you have on both ends of the floor.”
After a season-low 31 points in the first half, the Heat, led by Herro and Butler, rebounded strongly. Herro scored 23 points after halftime, including overtime, while Butler added 21 points in the same period, helping Miami outscore Brooklyn 57-43 in the second half.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets Updates
Herro commented on the initial slow pace set by the Nets’ defense but managed to find gaps to be aggressive in the second half. Miami’s defensive intensity also increased, limiting Brooklyn to just 30.9% shooting in the latter half.
“The first half wasn’t pretty at all,” Herro said. “They were junking up the game when they were on defense, switching on everything and mucking everything up, and it was a slow pace. I was just trying to find gaps in the defense where I could be aggressive.”
The game went into overtime after Bridges tied the score with two free throws with 4.4 seconds left in regulation. The Nets initially led in overtime, but Miami finished strong with an 8-2 run and successfully defended against Bridges’ final attempt.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, Mikal Bridges, Brooklyn Nets Updates
Coach Spoelstra highlighted the team’s defensive improvements, noting three consecutive games of holding opponents under 100 points as a sign of progress.
“That’s three straight games where we held our opponent under 100 (points),” Spoelstra said. “That’s progress, and there’s been a lot of moving parts, but I appreciate the group for not making any excuses about it.”
The Nets, struggling defensively in recent games, showed improvement in the first half, holding Miami to a 26.2% field goal percentage, their lowest in a half since April 2022. The Nets were led by Thomas’ 12 bench points and Bridges’ 11 points and seven rebounds, taking a 45-31 lead at halftime. Reflecting on the team’s early deficit, Butler remained optimistic about the Heat’s prospects.
“I don’t think a 14-point deficit feels good to anybody in this league,” Butler said. “But if we keep taking the right shots, eventually they’re going to go in. But the main thing is we have to start guarding somebody, and then good things happen.”
Looking ahead, the Miami Heat are set to face Toronto on Wednesday night, while the Brooklyn Nets will take on Portland the same evening.
