Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler faced his former team, the Miami Heat, for the first time since his trade. Instead, his highly anticipated return quickly turned into a nightmare. The Warriors were handed a crushing 112-86 defeat at the Kaseya Center on Tuesday, as Miami dominated behind stellar performances from Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. The absence of Stephen Curry for the second consecutive game only made things worse for Golden State.
The loss drops Golden State to 41-31, but they still hold the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, Miami improves to 31-41 while sitting at tenth place in the East.
Bam Adebayo Dominates As The Miami Heat Secures Crucial Win Against Jimmy Butler’s Team
From the opening minutes, Bam Adebayo set the tone for the Heat. The all-star forward started the game with a powerful dunk over Butler and continued to dominate inside. He finished the night with 27 points, eight rebounds, and two three-pointers on 9-of-18 shooting.
Bam Adebayo tonight:
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 26, 2025
27 Points
8 Rebounds
9/18 FGM
2/3 3PM
Vs. Jimmy. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GOXZkhYCuD
Tyler Herro also stepped up, scoring 20 points with seven assists, while Alec Burks contributed 17 points off the bench. Kel’el Ware finished with 14 points, and Andrew Wiggins added ten points for Miami.
Despite the motivation of facing his former team, Butler had a forgettable performance. The Warriors forward played 29 minutes, finishing with only 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists on 5-of-12 shooting. He missed both of his three-point attempts and had little impact as Golden State’s offense sputtered.
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Other Warriors players also struggled to pick up the slack. Jonathan Kuminga led the team with 15 points, while Brandin Podziemski added 14 points and 4 assists. Gui Santos added 13 points while Buddy Hield had ten points in the loss.
Also Read: 10 Best NBA Trades That Truly Helped A Team Win A Championship
