Jimmy Butler returns from illness as Heat beat Pelicans to start 2025

01/01/2025 09:59 PM

MIAMI – As the Miami Heat welcomed back Jimmy Butler after a five-game absence, they started the year positively as they beat the New Orleans Pelicans, 119-108. While the rumors about Butler and the Heat will continue, the team will look to stack the wins in 2025 as Wednesday night was a step in the right direction.

Butler would finish the game with a modest line of nine points on three of five shooting from the field to go along with four rebounds and two assists. Tyler Herro led the team once again with 32 points on 11 for 22 shooting, including five of 12 from deep, to go along with four assists.

Bam Adebayo finished the game a rebound shy of another triple-double as he had 23 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds while Duncan Robinson had 17 points of his very own.

Here are three takeaways from the Heat’s win over the Pelicans to start the new year:

First half for Heat was a tale of two quarters, Jimmy Butler returns

After Butler missed the last five games, he made his return on Wednesday night in what was a radio-silent performance for the most part to start. Then again, the Heat star is coming off an illness that made him “down for the count” to put it into his words as he made it apparent how heavily it impacted him.

While he’s healthy and back on the team, there might have been a plan for him to ease into the game rather than get heavy usage right out of the gate. On the other hand, he would make an impact on the defensive side of the ball as he started on Pelicans star CJ McCollum and made his mark.

Despite Butler, Heat started fast out of the gate against Pelicans

Still, it wasn’t needed to start as Miami had an impressive first quarter where they shot 12 of 21 from the field and made four of their eight attempts from three-point range.

The team would build up their largest lead of the game at 17 up until that point, but the second period also marked where Miami let their foot off the gas as they let New Orleans get back into the game. They would especially thrive in the paint in the second period, scoring 18 compared to the Heat’s six.

As said before, the team’s biggest lead of 17 would dwindle down to three points, but still led by five at halftime. It would be Trey Murphy who heated up in the first half, scoring 25 points on nine for 15 shooting from the field, including four of eight from deep.

For Miami, Herro led with 11 points, Robinson with nine, Adebayo with eight, and Butler had five points on one for three shooting. His only make was a three-pointer made with under a minute left in the half.

Tyler Herro opens the lead back up for the Heat in the second half

Butler would be more active to start the second half as he had two quick buckets in the paint where he gets most of his success and production from. However, it would be Herro who put a halt to the Pelicans’ efforts to come back in the game as he had 12 points during the period alone.

Robinson would also contribute with eight points as the team was playing consistent basketball which was different compared to the second quarter where they lost a big lead. They were highly efficient in the third period as they shot 66.7 percent from the field along with hitting six of their seven shots from beyond the arc.

As the fourth quarter came along, New Orleans would not leave without a fight, but Miami showed resiliency in stifling any comeback opportunity as they closed out the game with a crucial win at home. This was a point of emphasis for Spoelstra as he expressed the want of his group to sustain leads, though there is still work to be done as the double-digit lead once again went to single late in the fourth, but still sealed the deal.

Heat look to get Butler back into the swing of things to start 2025

There is no doubt that it was an underwhelming performance for Butler relative to what fans have seen from him, but it should not come as a major shock. As mentioned before, despite Butler’s future with the Heat being questioned due to an immense amount of trade speculation, he had missed the last five games due to a stomach illness.

When speaking to the media last Tuesday, he expressed how rough it was as he first left during the Dec. 20 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder where he entered the contest sick. Through various videos and pictures, Butler looked as if he lost some weight in the process, but spoke about gaining the muscle back.

Spoelstra possibly implied a less usage game for Butler before the game during his media availability as he said to ClutchPoints that he was going to “read it in real time” in terms of easing him back into the fold.

“Just get him right back into the mix,” Spoelstra said. “It was good that he was able to get a couple workouts while we were gone, and then practice yesterday, and I will just read it, you know, in real-time. You know, see how he manages everything.”

Asked Erik Spoelstra on the expectations he has for Jimmy Butler coming back from a five-game absence, dealing with a stomach illness.

"We'll just get him right back in the mix, it was good that he was able get a couple workouts while we were gone…" #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/s63kp3k78g

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 1, 2025

The Heat now start 2025 on a good note with the win, but now have a second game of the back-to-back as they take on the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.

The post Jimmy Butler returns from illness as Heat beat Pelicans to start 2025 appeared first on ClutchPoints.