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With the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler was known for his dominant playoff performances.
He helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals twice over his five-season tenure before his relationship with the organization soured. He was dealt to the Warriors at the trade deadline this season.
This postseason, Butler has not shown up in the big ways he used to in Miami, especially throughout this second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In a recent article, Bleacher Report compared Butler's performance this postseason to those with the Heat.
"During the Miami Heat's Finals run in 2023, he averaged 26.9 points and 5.9 assists with a 6.6 box plus/minus," the article wrote. "The year before, he put up 27.4 points, 4.6 assists and 2.1 steals with a 11.8 box plus/minus. And in the 2020 Finals, he put up 26.2 points, 9.8 assists, 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals. That player took three different outmatched Heat teams far further in the playoffs than anyone expected, and he simply hasn't shown up in the wake of the Curry injury."
The Warriors are without star guard Stephen Curry for Game 5 as the team sits on the brink of elimination down three games to one against Minnesota. Throughout his career, Butler has proven he can elevate underdog-level teams. He needs to replicate those vintage "Playoff Jimmy" performances to help Golden State reach the Western Conference Finals.
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Sean Jordan is a contributor to Miami Heat On Sports Illustrated. He can be reached at sjorda06@syr.edu.
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Youth movement: Five new players who should be part of Team USA basketball's future
A veteran-heavy USA Basketball squad took home a gold medal last summer in Paris. But their two biggest stars won't be returning. LeBron James and Steph Curry made it clear on the newest episode of "Mind The Game," James' podcast, that they wouldn't be part of Team USA in 2028. That leaves two big pairs of shoes to fill. In addition, the oft-injured Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis are unlikely to be back, Kevin Durant will be 39 in the summer of 2028, Jrue Holiday will be 38 and the national team will get younger. Here are five new players who should be part of Team USA going forward. 1. Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets There's always a spot on Team USA for a hard-nosed perimeter defender, and Amen Thompson is one of the toughest defenders in the NBA. He finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season and has upped his assists to 5.2 per game, making him the ideal player to slide into Holiday's stopper/ball handler role. Plus, Thompson is still only 22, which means he has plenty of international basketball ahead of him. And if Team USA needs another elite defender, he's got a connection with one on the Detroit Pistons — his brother Ausar Thompson. The only danger is if the Thompson twins decide to play for Jamaica instead. 2. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons Cade Cunningham, 24, has experience with USA Basketball, winning a gold medal in 2019 at the FIBA U19 championships and leading the USA Select team to scrimmage upsets against the 2023 FIBA Cup team. He only turned down joining the main team because he was recovering from shin surgery. Now he's firmly established as an NBA star, averaging 27.5 points and 9.9 assists for the first-place Detroit Pistons. Not only is he scoring an distributing the ball at an elite level, Cunningham has excellent size at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds for the more physical international game. 3. Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder Team USA needs a rim protector, and they'd love to have one who can stretch the floor like Chet Holmgren. The 23-year-old is shooting 40.4 percent from three-point range this season and 59.1 percent overall while anchoring the NBA's No. 1 defense. Holmgren may not be best suited to banging with some of the huge big men he'd face in the Olympics, like Nikola Jokic and Alperen Sengun, but the threat of his shooting can draw these big men out of the paint and create driving lanes. Plus, he has three years to bulk up before the Los Angeles Olympics. 4. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has turned into a legitimate three-point threat this season, sinking 1.7 threes per game, while remaining one of the NBA's best defenders. While Holmgren is more of a shot-blocker and rim protector, Evan Mobley, 24, has the speed and mobility to guard smaller players out on the perimeter, and the height and wingspan to bother big men. In addition, Mobley attended college at USC and high school in famed fight capital Temecula, so he'll be an excellent local choice. 5. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder Jalen Williams, 24, is a bulldog defender who showed he can also be an elite big-game scorer during the Thunder's run to the title. Team USA plays best when they can pressure opposing teams defensively, and Williams has been great with that approach for OKC. Honorable mentions Cooper Flagg (18), Dallas Mavericks Stephon Castle (21) and Dylan Harper (19), San Antonio Spurs Kon Knueppel (20), Charlotte Hornets Darryn Peterson (18), Kansas Jayhawks
Steve Spurrier has two endorsements for next Florida HC
Steve Spurrier is a legend for the Florida Gators. Known as "the head ball coach" down in SEC-land, Spurrier was a star both as a player and as a coach for Florida. Heck, the dang field in Gainesville is named after him. That means what he says about the Florida program carries a lot of weight, and he recently revealed that he believes there are only two people who would live up to the expectations and be a great fit for the Gators as they look to replace fired head coach Billy Napier sooner rather than later. “I know Lane Kiffin and I know Eli Drinkwitz,” Spurrier recently said, according to Daniel Hager of On3. “Obviously, either one of those guys would be super if it works out. But, it’s a long way from whoever we’re going to get as our coach right now.” The Gators are currently making a full-court press for Lane Kiffin, but they're not alone in their pursuit in the Ole Miss head coach. While the Gators reportedly flew members of Kiffin's family down to Gainesville to check things out recently, the LSU Tigers also pulled the same trick — hoping to get Kiffin to ultimatly come down to Baton Rouge. LSU is probably Florida's biggest competitor for Kiffin right now, but there's also Ole Miss to consider. It's not like the Rebels are going to let a coach who has led them to a 54-19 record over the past six seasons go without a fight. Kiffin would absolutely be a home-run hire for the Gators, though. He's a high-level recruiter and a high-level offensive mind in the SEC. Those are two things that the Gators desperately need in the wake of the middling Napier era. Not only that, but Kiffin has ties to the state. He was the head coach at Florida Atlantic from 2017-19. Eli Drinkwitz an interesting option for Florida if it can't land Lane Kiffin Drinkwitz is another interesting option, though. You'll also notice that there's a trend here for Florida, and that's going after established SEC head coaches. Napier had come from the Sun Belt conference. Drinkwitz has made Missouri a tough out in the SEC and he's won a ton of football games. His overall record at Mizzou is 45-27, though his record in big games does leave a little to be desired. He's 7-14 against ranked opponents and 0-7 against top-10 teams. Still, Drinkwitz is a young coach at just 42, so the upside is there. He's a big personality who does well on the recruiting trail, and he could do a lot of good things with the firepower of the Florida Gators behind him. There are other options out there for Florida. Washington head coach Jedd Fisch is a Florida alumnus, for instance. If Spurrier has narrowed it down to Kiffin and Drinkwitz in his mind, though, you can bet those in power at Florida are likely thinking the same thing.
Chiefs React to Travis Kelce's Decision on Sunday
Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce continues to make headlines on and off the field. Entering Sunday's Week 11 game against the Denver Broncos, Kelce has been one of the most reliable players on the Chiefs. In nine games this 2025, he has recorded 41 receptions for 540 yards and three touchdowns. He actually leads in the team in receptions and receiving yards and is second in receiving touchdowns. Off the field, the Chiefs tight end has been the subject of plenty of interest due to his relationship with pop star Taylor Swift. Not to mention, he has been growing his personal brand by diversifying his ventures — from going into acting to opening up his own restaurant with teammate Patrick Mahomes. Now, prior to their showdown with the Broncos, Kelce drew plenty of attention again with his off-field decision. The 36-year-old star arrived at Empower Field at Mile High wearing a black blazer with a subtle striped pattern, which he paired with matching pants. What stood out from his outfit were his bags, as he brought a Louis Vuitton Keepall Bandouliere and Horizon 55 that cost over $9,000 combined, per Style By Kelce. Even the Chiefs couldn't help but react to Kelce's outfit, as they shared photos of him on social media. "Find you someone who cleans up like @TKelce," the Chiefs wrote. For what it's worth, fans agreed with the Chiefs' post, taking to the comment section to share their reactions. "He cleans up Nicely," a commenter wrote. Another one said, "He Polishs up real nice!" A fan added, "There’s only one Travis Kelce." "Looking good as usual Travis! Let's go Chiefs! Let's get those Broncos," a supporter remarked. A fifth follower shared, "He always keeps it tidy." Kelce's popularity remains sky-high. That being said, it shouldn't be a surprise that anything he does is talked about.
Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin breaks silence on reported ultimatum
Former Heisman winner has bold take on James Franklin, Virginia Tech
Jerry Jones shares reason CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were benched
Dallas Cowboys stars CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were both disciplined by the team for the start of Monday night’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, and we now have a better idea of why. Lamb and Pickens both remained on the sideline for the Cowboys’ entire first drive in their 33-16 Week 11 win over the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. The ESPN broadcast said Dallas made a “coach’s decision” to bench the two star wide receivers for the beginning of the game. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters after his team’s win that that there were “a couple things missed” with Lamb and Pickens, which is why neither player saw the field on the first series. Jerry Jones elaborated further during the Cowboys owner’s Tuesday appearance on 105.3 The Fan. Jones suggested Lamb and Pickens were late to a team meeting. There had been speculation that Lamb and Pickens broke curfew, especially with the Cowboys playing in Las Vegas. Some wondered if the two wideouts had hit the casino or a night club and did not return back to the team hotel in time. It does not sound like that was the case, however. The benching seems to have lit a fire under both Pickens and Lamb. Pickens had a monster game with 9 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown. Lamb hauled in 5 passes for 66 yards and a score. After Lamb scored, Schottenheimer went over and playfully hugged his two star wide receivers. Whatever the issue was, it was serious enough that Schottenheimer felt he needed to take action. It did not cost the Cowboys on Monday night, however, and there is clearly no bad blood between the coach and players.
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