The Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler have been a match made in basketball heaven so far this season.
That much cannot be said for Butler and one of his previous stops, however.
Butler was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2017 offseason. That partnership lasted just over one season, as Butler demanded a trade shortly before the team’s training camp in 2018.
He was finally traded on Nov. 12, 2018 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
At the time, there were multiple reports that some of the Wolves’ young stars were not fond of Butler.
Former NBA star Scottie Pippen thinks the reason is because the Wolves simply didn’t prioritize winning.
While on ESPN’s “The Jump,” Pippen asserted that all of Butler’s former teammates love him. It was then that co-host Rachel Nichols asserted that not all of Butler’s teammates in Minnesota felt positively about Butler.
“They didn’t like winning in Minnesota,” Pippen said. “They wanted individual stats. Jimmy Butler is a winner.”
It’s a powerful statement from the Chicago Bulls legend. It’s also arguably very close to the truth.
Luckily for both Butler and the Heat, the focus has always been on winning above all else. That fact was put into full view in Tuesday night’s comeback win over the Atlanta Hawks.
After being down late in the fourth quarter, Butler hit a game-tying 3-pointer to force an overtime period. From there, he and his teammates dominated the floor en route to a 135-121 victory.
Along with Butler who finished the night with a triple-double, Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson also had huge nights in the win.
All seems right in South Florida at the moment, and with Butler leading the charge, it looks like the Heat will enjoy a lot more winning this season and beyond.