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    Heat's Erik Spoelstra scoffs at 'extra motivation' for Jimmy Butler return game

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    MIAMI – As the Miami Heat spoiled the return of Jimmy Butler in beating the Golden State Warriors, 112-86, on Tuesday night, there was a clear change of energy inside the Kaseya Center that one could point to the presence of the former Miami star. However, while Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra would reflect fondly on the time with Butler, he would downplay his return as adding more energy to the contest.

    Butler would finish the game with 11 points on shooting five of 12 from the field to go along with six rebounds, two assists, and a steal in what was a frustrating performance against his old team. The Warriors would be without star Stephen Curry in the game due to a pelvic contusion.

    Erik Spoelstra on the Heat’s energy against Jimmy Butler, Warriors

    Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

    After the Heat snapped a 10-game skid on Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets, it gave the team a bit of momentum heading into the highly-anticipated game against Golden State with the obvious storyline of Buter coming back to Miami. While Spoelstra would acknowledge the fans bringing energy, he would say there was not “any kind of extra motivational speech” before the outing because of Butler.

    “I mean, the energy in the building was great,” Spoelstra said. “You know, if you’re a competitor, you love this kind of environment. We didn’t do any kind of extra motivational speech leading up into this. It was more about us just staying the course with our process. I didn’t go person to person to ask him, we want to kind of just keep it steady right now. But defensively that’s probably one of our more consistent efforts all the way through. But I’ll tell you what, you take out the New York, Memphis games, we’ve been defending for six weeks pretty hard.”

    “That’s been definitely something our team has rallied around, defending and doing tough things, we’re just continuing to get better defensively and we kind of had it all together,” Spoelstra continued. “You know, tonight, obviously, that’s a big difference when Curry is not playing. There’s no question about that. He creates an offense unto himself, a bunch of overreactions, and all that stuff. But I’m just talking about the efforts. And look, we got guys out. Nobody cares. Nobody cares, this league is unforgiving. So it was good to see those kind of inspiring efforts from multiple guys throughout the course of the game.”

    Heat wasn’t emotional, but rather “laser-focused” per Erik Spoelstra

    The Heat would make a tribute video for Butler which the star showed his gratitude for right after it ended as it showed his reaction on the big screen. He would say it was “nice,” though there is not “a lot of emotion” on his part in regards to coming into the game per KNBR.


    Miami would end up shooting lights out on Tuesday, making 55.8 percent from the field and an outstanding 68 percent from three-point range which is the highest by any team in the NBA this season. It’s also the highest in franchise history in which the team has shot at least 25 threes.

    Defensively, the Heat were a force to be reckoned with, holding Butler and Golden State to 39.8 percent from the field and 23.7 percent from deep. When Spoelstra was asked about the feelings going into the game and channeling that into fuel for a great performance, he credited that to the 10-game skid rather than Butler’s return, saying that rather than being “emotional,” Miami was “laser-focused.”

    “I think we’ve been developing this for six weeks,” Spoelstra said. “If you really like stay the course on your process, and you get more consistent to it, you don’t want to become too emotional. I did not feel like we were too hyped up at all. It was more laser-focused on the competition and competing at a high level and playing well. That’s the fine line you always need to try to find in team sports. You got to toe the line of, like, intense competition. You don’t want to, like, be totally out of control, and you definitely don’t want to be, like, flat-lined where you’re not passionate. I thought we had a really good inspiring energy and balance tonight.”

    Heat was “ready” for Jimmy Butler, Warriors per Steve Kerr

    There is no doubt that the Heat fanbase brought it to Butler as every time he held the ball during the game, there would be a shower of boos. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was asked about the environment of the city and how the team played and also didn’t make too much of it, saying the main part was that Spoelstra “had them ready” per Anthony Slater.

    "You know, Miami," Kerr said, "it's a great place to live. So people don't ever seem too amped up around here. They're living a good life. So it really wasn't that rabid of an environment. It was typical Miami. I think the main part of Jimmy's return is that the Heat was ready and (Spoelstra) had them ready."

    At any rate, Miami is now 31-41 which puts them 10th in the Eastern Conference as they look for three straight wins on Thursday night when the team takes on the Atlanta Hawks.

    The post Heat’s Erik Spoelstra scoffs at ‘extra motivation’ for Jimmy Butler return game appeared first on ClutchPoints.

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