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Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs at Miami Heat

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Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs at Miami Heat


The last few weeks haven’t been kind to the San Antonio Spurs. Back-to-back blowout losses to the Memphis Grizzlies leave them two games below .500 and losers in four of their last five games. Somehow, it’s still better than what’s happening in South Beach.

The Miami Heat leads the league in bad vibes. Jimmy Butler is back after a seven-game suspension for breaking team policy. The Heat’s best player hasn’t looked engaged since requesting a trade earlier this year. Without Butler, Miami has focused on establishing its youth as the franchise’s core. Tyler Herro is having a career year, Bam Adebayo is a defensive anchor, and young pieces like Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr. have shown flashes.

The Heat are a formidable opponent with Erik Spoelstra at the helm, regardless of who is on the roster. Still, they’ll be a step down from the competition the Spurs have faced in January, especially from teams like Memphis. San Antonio’s schedule doesn’t get much easier from here as a trip to Paris looms. The Spurs have an opportunity to steal a win on the road against a Miami team just trying to stay out of the headlines.

January 19, 2025 | 2 PM CT

Watch: FanDuel Sports | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Jeremy Sochan – Out (back), Riley Minix – Out (G League), David Duke Jr. – Out (G League), Harrison Ingram – Out (G League)

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Heat Injuries: Bam Adebayo – Available (back), Josh Christopher – Questionable (G League), Josh Richardson – Out (heel), Dru Smith – Out (achilles), Isaiah Stevens – Out (G League)

What to watch for:

Winning the hustle game

They don’t call them the toughest, best-conditioned, meanest franchise in the NBA for nothing. #HeatCulture will be out in full force on Sunday. San Antonio has to rise to the challenge. In all seriousness, the Heat are a top-10 defensive team in the NBA. Adebayo is a defensive force, and they have enough weapons around him to cause opposing teams headaches. San Antonio’s offense has been anything but consistent lately. That will need to change to overcome a tough Heat team.

Containing the three-point line

In two straight games against Memphis, the Spurs got lit up from three. The Heat are eighth in the NBA in three-pointers per game. Herro is a threat off the dribble, Duncan Robinson is one of the league’s best movement shooters, and Haywood Highsmith is a nice three-and-D wing. The Spurs must contain ball handlers and get out to shooters to keep Miami from getting hot.

Getting Wembanyama going

Victor Wembanyama has taken a step back after putting up insane stats in December. He seemed to float in and out of the game offensively against Memphis. Mitch Johnson should make a concerted effort to get his superstar big man back on track against Miami. Watch to see if San Antonio runs more intentional action to get Wembanyama the ball in spots where he’s comfortable, either on the perimeter or in the paint. A bounce-back Wembanyama performance could get him back on track before he heads home later this week.



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How many points did Jimmy Butler score vs. Heat in return to Miami?

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How many points did Jimmy Butler score vs. Heat in return to Miami?


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It was not the revenge game Jimmy Butler wanted.

Making his return to Miami after five-and-a-half seasons with the Heat, Butler’s Golden State Warriors dropped their second consecutive game Tuesday night and third out of their last five, 112-86.

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The game was so out of hand that Butler sat half of the fourth quarter, with Miami continuing to build on its lead.

“The main part about Jimmy’s return to Miami is that the Heat were ready,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the game.

The Warriors were playing their second game without All-Star guard Stephen Curry, who is working his way back from a pelvic contusion.

Here’s everything you need to know about Butler’s return to Miami:

How many points did Jimmy Butler score vs. Miami Heat?

In what ended up being a frustrating, turnover-filled night for the Warriors, Butler finished with only 11 points on 5-of-12 shooting and added six rebounds and two assists.

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Nine of Butler’s points came in the third quarter as Golden State was trying to make a run to narrow its deficit. Butler had just two points on 1-of-6 shooting in the first half, as each Warriors starter had accounted for just two points apiece headed into intermission.

For most of the game, as his defensive assignments, Butler drew Heat forward Bam Adebayo, the team’s premier defender, and Haywood Highsmith, a reserve forward also known to be a stopper.

Butler did make his first attempt of the game, getting to the lane and bodying Heat guard Tyler Herro before he laced a one-handed push shot. It was Golden State’s first points of the night and ended a 7-0 Miami run to start the game.

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After the game, Butler was cordial and complimentary of his years with the Heat organization.

“It takes me back to some good times when I was wearing a Miami Heat jersey,” he said. “Very appreciative of those times. They helped me become the player I am in this league, the individual that I am in this league, teammate, leader, all of those things, and I don’t think I could be who I am today without my opportunity here.”

According to the TNT’s Taylor Rooks, however, Butler said before the game that “I have nothing to say to Pat, and Pat better have nothing to say to me” when Rooks asked what Butler would do if he ran into Heat president Pat Riley.

How did Miami Heat players welcome Jimmy Butler?

Butler did catch up with at least one of his former teammates prior to tip-off. At one point, TNT cameras showed Butler coming from behind to surprise Heat forward Kevin Love, before the pair shared a short conversation, laughing and smiling throughout.

Once the game ended, Butler greeted a couple of people sitting courtside near the Warriors bench, but went into the locker room without exchanging words with his previous teammates.

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All-Star guard Tyler Herro, one of Butler’s Heat teammates for the entire time that Butler was in Miami, said that he did not have any pre- or post-game conversations with Butler.

“It was my first time playing him, but it was a normal game, it felt like,” Herro said.

The Heat shot a blistering 17-of-25 (68%) from 3-point range and played controlled defense, which coach Erik Spoelstra said was the result of his team’s attention to detail.

“You don’t want to become too emotional,” Spoelstra said after the game. “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 find in team sports.”

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How did Miami Heat fans welcome Jimmy Butler?

Butler was introduced pre-game by public address announcer Michael Baiamonte in a cadence that was only slightly more subdued than the way he was introduced when he was a member of the Heat. Although there was a smattering of boos, Butler was received, for the most part, by adulating fans, many of whom gave Butler a standing ovation.

The Heat also played a short tribute video moments before Butler was introduced to the crowd at the Kaseya Center.

Once the game started, however, fans booed Butler every time he touched the ball.

What happened during Jimmy Butler’s time with the Miami Heat?

Because of his gritty play and clutch performances, Butler became a fan favorite over his five-and-a-half seasons in Miami. He was twice named an All-Star during that span and led Miami to a pair of NBA Finals appearances.

The relationship soured, however. The Heat suspended Butler several times this season for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.”

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The Heat traded Butler Feb. 5 in a multi-team deal that brought back Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and draft picks to Miami.

Upon being traded to the Warriors, Butler inked a two-year, $121 million extension with the Warriors.



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Carson Beck Sidelined: Miami’s Backup QBs Seizing Spring Practice Opportunities

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Carson Beck Sidelined: Miami’s Backup QBs Seizing Spring Practice Opportunities


The Miami Hurricanes football team’s spring practice is now in full swing. The team is building towards their 2025 campaign, nevertheless, there is one notable absence. The expected starting quarterback, Carson Beck, joined the team this offseason through the transfer portal from the Georgia Bulldogs.

Beck has been extremely limited as he recovers from an injury suffered in his final game of the college football season. He’s been present at spring practice but has not been able to compete with the other quarterbacks. However, his absence has opened the door for the other quarterbacks to see more opportunities. Opportunities that head coach Mario Cristobal spoke about at spring practice this weekend:

“Football has a funny way of making people step up when they have to step up. That’s what you see, you know? There’s no reliance. They want to go in there and make plays. These guys now have to make the plays. They have to have presence in the huddle and make sure they get the call correct, make sure they change the play correctly, that they’re signaling and receiving signals and understanding them the right way. So, progress. I’m probably going to use that word ad nauseam, but it’s the whole goal, and as long as we keep doing that and showing good attitude, it’s good.” 

We still have no doubt that Beck will be the starting quarterback for the Hurricanes when the season opens, but these reps for the backup quarterbacks could be a blessing in disguise for this team in the event that Beck suffers an injury or simply young quarterbacks gaining much needed experience they can use if they take over the starting job in future seasons. Miami’s QB room looks like it’s in good shape again this year as we get closer to the season.

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Cam Ward puts on a show at Miami Pro Day with Giants, rest of NFL watching: ‘All they need to see’

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Cam Ward puts on a show at Miami Pro Day with Giants, rest of NFL watching: ‘All they need to see’


CORAL GABLES, Fla. — As he was going about his work on the field, Cam Ward did not have to sense that the eyes of those in the crowd were all fixed on him.

All 32 teams sent representatives to the Miami Pro Day, and that meant he knew his future employer was in the building.

“For sure,’’ Ward said Monday. “I’ve seen a couple of ’em. Hopefuls. It was a good crowd, for sure.’’

Count the Giants among those hopefuls, but so much of the talk and focus before, during and especially after this workout focused on another team.

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