After rough week in Miami, Heat looking forward to getting ‘away from the arena’ and long trip
After a damaging week in Miami, the Heat is looking forward to getting away. Getting away from the Jimmy Butler noise and the site of one of its worst losses in recent years.
With Butler serving the first game of his team-issued seven-game suspension, the rebuilding Utah Jazz crushed the Heat 136-100 on Saturday night at Kaseya Center to earn only its eighth win of the season.
The 36-point blowout is the Heat’s most lopsided loss since a 47-point defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 29, 2020. It’s also the sixth-most lopsided home loss in Heat history.
“There wasn’t a whole lot we did well or with purpose or energy or toughness tonight,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said following the defeat. “We just have some work to do on this road trip.”
Next up for the Heat (17-16) is a six-game West Coast trip that ties for the longest trip on its schedule this season. It begins Monday against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center (10 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Sun and NBA TV).
“I think it is important for our team to spend some time together and focus in on a big task,” Spoelstra said looking ahead at the trip. “This will catch our attention. It is always a challenge to win on the road and everybody has to be connected. You have to be committed to doing very tough things and we have to get that spirit ready for what’s ahead.”
What’s ahead is more time without Butler, the Heat’s highest-paid, most accomplished and best player when he’s engaged and healthy.
After Butler made clear during a Thursday press conference that he’s no longer happy playing for the Heat and insinuated that he’s open to a trade, the Heat suspended Butler for seven games on Friday “for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks” and announced that it will listen to trade offers for Butler.
Butler’s suspension runs through the Heat’s upcoming six-game West Coast trip. He’ll be eligible to come back when the Heat returns to Miami to host the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 17, but it would be surprising if Butler ever plays another game in a Heat uniform even if he’s still on the roster at that point.
“I mean, we’re trying to put all that stuff past us and really worry about the guys in the locker room and the guys that are going out there on the court every single night,” Heat guard Tyler Herro said when asked whether the emotional toll from the Butler saga played a role in Saturday’s ugly performance. “So, just trying to bring a collective spirit that can really rally around each other to help win these games at this point of the season.
“[Saturday], obviously, wasn’t how we imagined it or pictured it. But you try to put this one past you. There’s a six-game road trip that we’re going on that won’t be any easier than tonight. So trying to put this past us and we’re getting ready for the next one on Monday.”
Herro is among those who believes the long trip ahead comes at an opportune time for the Heat.
“Real beneficial for us just to get around the group, away from the building, away from the arena,” Herro said. “So just trying to bring that collective spirit that we can rally around each other for almost two weeks out on that road trip.”
With the Heat now 5-6 this season in games without Butler, it has plenty to figure out in order to survive this long stretch away from home.
For one, the Heat’s leading duo (without Butler) of Bam Adebayo and Herro need to be better than they were in Saturday’s loss to the Jazz. They combined for just 19 points on 18 field-goal attempts in the rout.
Adebayo struggled, finishing the defeat with just four points on 0-of-6 shooting from the field in 26 minutes. It marked the first game in Adebayo’s NBA career that he finished without a field-goal make while playing at least 25 minutes.
“I don’t think we make any excuses for this,” Spoelstra said when asked if the 36-point blowout loss to the Jazz was the product of a wild week full of Butler drama. “We just took it on the chin and we have to get to work. We have a long flight [Sunday]. It will be valuable time for the staff to get to work. I just want the guys to rest up and get our collective minds ready for a great opportunity on this road trip.”
The Heat isn’t panicking, but there’s no doubt that it’s in the middle of a turbulent time amid the messy Butler situation and now coming off one of the worst home losses in franchise history.
“I think we’ll be alright,” Herro said. “... We’ll meet [Sunday] when we get to Sacramento and kind of just settle everything down before we start this six-game road trip. There’s going to be a lot of swings, ups and downs, on the trip. So we just want to go in there with a collective spirit that we can really lean on each other on the road.”
INJURY REPORT
The Heat ruled out Butler (suspension), Dru Smith (Achilles) and Isaiah Stevens (G League) for Monday’s game in Sacramento.
Josh Richardson has been upgraded to doubtful after missing the last 11 games with right heel inflammation.
Haywood Highsmith is listed as questionable because of personal reasons. He didn’t fly with the team to Sacramento on Sunday, but he’s expected to rejoin the Heat in time for Monday’s matchup against the Kings.
This story was originally published January 5, 2025 at 10:40 AM.
