Miami, FL

‘Jimmy had his fingerprints on that’: How Butler took over Game 1

Published

3 years ago

May 18, 2022

‘Jimmy had his fingerprints on that’: How Butler took over Game 1

MIAMI — Jimmy Butler is well worth the drama.

That is not precisely how Erik Spoelstra termed Butler’s recreation on Tuesday evening, in fact. The Miami Warmth coach was his standard managed self after guiding his workforce to a 118-107 victory over the Boston Celtics, fueled by Butler’s greatness, to take a 1-0 lead within the NBA Jap Convention finals.

“For those who’re pushed by competitors, and the stakes get raised, you are going to increase your stage of play,” Spoelstra mentioned after Butler assembled an excellent 41-point, nine-rebound, five-assist, four-steal, three-block masterpiece.

“This stage is excessive stage, this competitors, and he senses it, and he is aware of it. He feels it. And he was in a position to produce and put us ready to really feel snug to have the ability to win this recreation.”

However again in March when Butler had pushed Spoelstra to the brink, within the midst of a sideline outburst throughout a recreation towards the Golden State Warriors, he barked at Butler, “I all the time knew you have been loopy!” because the argument spilled onto the courtroom.

Spoelstra has lengthy recognized Butler is intense. Together with his coaching and, sure, with the best way he needles teammates and coaches. And he will be pushed to unbelievable feats by his thirst to win.

Within the 48 hours after the outburst, because the conferences between Butler and workforce administration happened, it wasn’t clear how the crossroads second would play out. After all, now that second will be spun as galvanizing. The Warmth are 15-6 since, have the No. 1 seed within the East and are three wins from reaching the NBA Finals.

However even a few of Spoelstra’s closest associates had by no means seen him like that, not simply the emotional outburst within the huddle, however the darkish brooding he did for the remainder of that quarter, nearly stopping teaching as he managed the fury.

For Butler, three seasons price of give-and-take with Spoelstra lastly led to discovering the road. It wasn’t simply that second with Butler verbally shoving again at his coach, it was an extended buildup.

“Spo was exasperated,” one workforce supply mentioned.

Even Butler, who typically appears to truly take pleasure in creating battle on his workforce, questioned whether or not this was a breaking level, sources mentioned. Two days later, after Spoelstra missed a recreation due to an unrelated private matter, he returned, reset and prepared.

Butler was relieved, so was the remainder of the workforce, they usually began over as a result of on the finish of the day and the tip of the season, Butler is price it.

What he brings, particularly in a playoff setting, buys him extra leeway. It is the NBA manner, all the time has been and all the time will likely be. It is somewhat more durable at occasions for the Warmth, a corporation that thrives on holding gamers to excessive requirements and never being afraid to assault issues, but it surely’s true simply the identical.

So Tuesday evening within the third quarter, after the Warmth had fallen down by as many as 13 factors within the first half, Butler wasn’t afraid to check his coach once more. The sport was in its fragile moments, the Warmth have been on a run to take the lead, and Butler made two gambles to strive for steals.

If he missed them, it might need led to straightforward baskets for the Celtics and a flip in momentum. However Butler did not, choosing off Jayson Tatum passes and making a 3-pointer and a dunk, probably the most highly effective of his 17 factors within the quarter.

“I inform you proper now, Spo does not like me, he does not like at any time when I do it,” Butler mentioned of the gambles. “Fortunately, I used to be 2-for-2 on these specific shoot-the-gap passing lanes. However I do not get them on a regular basis, and then you definitely see him give a glance over there.”

Butler does it as a result of he trusts his instincts and since he is aware of he has developed a line of credit score with Spoelstra, even when it typically dips into the crimson. And Spoelstra provides some latitude, even when inside it may possibly infuriate him, as a result of he is aware of Butler is the driving pressure behind Miami’s pursuit of a championship.

He was within the final collection towards the Philadelphia 76ers, when Butler averaged 27.5 factors, eight rebounds and 6 assists. He was once more the motivating pressure in Recreation 1.

“These two steals type of modified the momentum,” Spoelstra mentioned, completely unfazed by their break in his most well-liked protocol. “Each time and pocket within the recreation after we wanted to regulate the sport or get the precise shot or make the precise determination, Jimmy had his fingerprints on that.”

Butler’s fingerprints on video games typically find yourself with Spoelstra’s fingerprints on wine glasses attempting to unwind. Again when the youthful Spoelstra was nonetheless discovering his legs as a coach greater than a decade in the past, workforce president Pat Riley would have Spoelstra come to his workplace after tough losses. Riley would choose a bottle from his shelf, and they’d sit and sip in silence.

Earlier this yr, Spoelstra was named one of many high 15 coaches in NBA historical past as a part of the league’s seventy fifth anniversary celebration, making the listing with Riley. If Spoelstra, 51, needs it, he’ll in all probability have an excellent probability of being the nationwide workforce coach sooner or later. He is on the high of his craft and really probably within the prime of his teaching years.

Butler can nonetheless drive him up a wall. And he also can get him one step nearer to a championship by doing the identical to the Celtics.

“I wish to run into individuals and see who falls down first, who’s going to give up first,” Butler mentioned. “I believe that is the type of basketball I prefer to play.”

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Miami, FL

Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton Reacts To Jim Larranaga’s Sudden Miami Departure

Published

3 hours ago

January 7, 2025

Press Room

Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton Reacts To Jim Larranaga’s Sudden Miami Departure

Florida State and Miami will play their first matchup of the 2024-25 season on Wednesday, but the opposing sideline won’t feature Jim Larranaga for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Larranaga shocked all of college basketball by stepping down as Miami’s head coach on December 26th after getting off to a 4-8 start with losses to Mount Saint Mary’s and Charleston Southern.

Leonard Hamilton was asked about Larranaga’s decision to step down in an ACC Zoom call on Monday morning and ahead of Wednesday’s game.

READ MORE: Former FSU Star Jalen Ramsey Makes Decisive Miami Dolphins Career Statement

“Jim has demonstrated that he’s a class act. He’s a guy who thinks things through,” Coach Hamilton started. “I’m sure the decision didn’t come as a knee-jerk reaction to anything particular. I’m sure it came with a lot of thought over a longer period of time and for him to have the courage to stick with his convictions and what he believed is the best thing to do, not only for his team and for the university, players that have played for him before (and it) is to be tremendously respected. I talked to very few coaches who really don’t feel some of the similar things that seems to have been on Jim’s mind. It’s just where we are. I don’t see anything coming in the future that will eliminate the reasons why he made the decision that he did, and I think I have a lot of respect for him for how he did it.”

Coach Larranaga cited things like exhaustion and the ever-changing NIL market as reasons for stepping down. Coach Hamilton is in his own hot water with NIL after six former players sued him last week over alleged promised NIL money that was never delivered. So Hamilton can relate to some of the issues Larranaga was dealing with.

Larranaga isn’t the only ACC coach to make a shocking untimely retirement, as Virginia’s former coach Tony Bennett stepped down about a month before the season started. Leonard Hamilton was already the longest-tenured head coach in the ACC by a mile with 23 seasons in Tallahassee, with Clemson’s Brad Brownell in second with 15 seasons, but the third-longest tenured coach in the ACC after Larranaga’s and Bennett’s retiring is now Kevin Keatts at NC State, who started in 2017.

Florida State and Miami will play in Coral Gables at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

READ MORE: FSU Basketball Picks Up First ACC Win of Season, Beats Syracuse 90-74

Stick with NoleGameday for more FREE coverage of Florida State Basketball throughout the 2024-25 season

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Miami, FL

Miami Heat Fall In This Week’s Power Rankings

Published

11 hours ago

January 7, 2025

Press Room

Miami Heat Fall In This Week’s Power Rankings

The Miami Heat had a rough week.

This week, the Heat slipped to No. 14 in the NBA power rankings. Last week, they were No. 9.

The Jimmy Butler trade saga reached its tipping point when Butler revealed playing in Miami ruined his joy for the game lately. The team issued a seven-game suspension to Butler for his actions. Following his comments, the Heat had their worst loss of the season Saturday against the Utah Jazz, losing by 36 points at home.

In an article posted to NBA.com, a takeaway on the team’s play was described. Here’s what longtime writer John Schuhmann wrote:

“Butler returned for two games and registered a usage rate of just 13.2% (ninth on the team) as the Heat split games against the Pelicans and Pacers”, the article said. “He didn’t play in the fourth quarter either night and then said that he doesn’t think he can rediscover his on-court ‘joy’ in Miami. So the Heat suspended him for seven games (through their six-game trip that begins Monday) and said they’d listen to trade offers.”

Schuhmann also added, “Butler’s teammates’ response was their worst loss of the season, a game in which they trailed the Jazz by 43 points. They’re now 5-6 without Butler and have been outscored by 2.2 points per 100 possessions in his 678 total minutes off the floor.”

The Heat are 17-16. They sit with the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. They remain two games back from the No. 4 seed Orlando Magic. They are 13 games back from the No. 1 seed, held by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

With the Butler trade rumors looming over the organization, the Heat are set to embark on a six-game road trip. They will play four of those games this week. The team starts the week Monday with a back-to-back in Sacramento and Golden State. Thursday, the team travels to Utah before rounding out the week in Portland on Saturday.

Sean Jordan is a contributor to Miami Heat On Sports Illustrated. He can be reached at sjorda06@syr.edu.

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Miami, FL

Florida ranks second in nation for norovirus outbreaks, CDC Reports

Published

19 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Florida ranks second in nation for norovirus outbreaks, CDC Reports

MIAMI – Florida ranks second in the nation for confirmed norovirus outbreaks, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The highly contagious virus, often referred to as the “stomach bug,” is spreading rapidly this season, particularly in crowded settings like cruise ships.

“Norovirus is a highly infectious virus that causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea,” said Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist. “This is the time of year we typically see norovirus cases peak, especially in the winter, with all the traveling.”

Between Sept. 1, 2023, and Oct. 31, 2024, Florida reported 24 confirmed norovirus outbreaks, the second highest in the nation, according to the CDC.

Cruise ships were among the hardest hit, with 16 outbreaks reported in 2024 alone. Five of those occurred in December, sickening 890 passengers and crew members.

“I wish I would have known before we went,” said Tamara Holmes, who recently returned from a holiday cruise. “We took precautions: washing our hands, trying to keep a safe distance from everybody as best as we could.”

Monica Greidinger, preparing for a flight at Miami International Airport, advised fellow travelers to take extra precautions. “If you’re sick, don’t travel,” she told CBS News Miami. “I suggest going back to basics, wearing face masks-that’s all we can do.”

However, experts warn that masks alone may not prevent norovirus infections. “The most important thing is to wash your hands,” said Dr. Gounder.

“Alcohol-based sanitizers don’t work well for this virus. It’s also critical to sanitize food preparation areas and any surfaces that could be contaminated.”

There is no specific treatment for norovirus, which typically lasts one to three days.

Doctors recommend that infected individuals stay home, rest, and hydrate with water to recover.

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