Entering his 15th NBA season, Jimmy Butler remains as driven as ever. With the Miami Heat having gone more than a decade without a title, Jimmy is determined to lead the team to championship glory, silencing critics and overcoming past injuries.
Speaking to the media after Saturday’s practice, Butler outlined his main objective for the season: “I want to play as many games as possible,” the small forward stated. He continued, “I’ll leave it at that. I don’t need to put a number on the amount of games that I play. I know the more games that I play, the more opportunities that my squad has of winning. I do know that.”
Butler understands his critical role as the Heat’s leader and key to their success. His commitment to staying on the court stems from last season’s disappointment, when a sprained MCL in his right knee sidelined him during the playoffs, leading to a tough five-game series loss to the Boston Celtics.
More minutes for the Heat
Butler also discussed his personal goals during the preseason: “Go out there and compete, hoop, get comfortable, get acclimated with these guys,” the 35-year-old star started explaining.
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra gestures during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Kaseya Center on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, in Miami.
Then he acknowledged that the Heat’s core needs more time together on the court. “I think everybody knows me, Tyler (Herro), Bam (Adebayo) and Terry (Rozier) haven’t played a lot of minutes together. So this is the beginning of what everybody is going to see this upcoming season. So get as many as minutes, whether it’s in practice or the preseason,” Butler noted.
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NBA News: Miami Heat coach Spoelstra welcomes back two stars to join Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo
The Heat’s preseason schedule
The Miami Heat have only played one preseason game so far, a 111-108 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. Their preseason home debut will be this Sunday against the New Orleans Pelicans. They’ll also face the San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks, and Memphis Grizzlies before opening the NBA regular season against the Orlando Magic at Kaseya Center on October 23.
