Jimmy Butler Notches First Triple Double of the Season

The Miami Heat tallied their fourth straight victory after defeating the Houston Rockets 101-94 on Thursday night. The Heat managed to edge out a win despite losing sharpshooting guard Tyler Herro to Covid-19 protocol minutes before tip-off. The team is slowly returning to its championship-contending form as key players continue to return from injury.

Recap

Miami received limited help from rising star Bam Adebayo, who only scored 10 points by the time he fouled out.

But Jimmy Butler had a massive impact. The 5-time All Star paired his game-leading 27 points with 10 rebounds and 10 assists to notch his first triple-double of the season. With 10 seconds remaining, the Houston-native sunk two clutch free throws to seal the victory against his hometown team. This is Butler’s fourth time scoring above twenty-five points since returning from Covid-19 protocols on January 30th.

DePaul University legend Max Strus appears determined to make a name for himself on the professional level as well. The 6′ foot 6′ guard had a career night, finishing with 21 points and 5 total three-pointers. While the 3rd year player had only seen action in 2 NBA games prior to 2021, he is capitalizing on his opportunity. Strus is shooting 51% from the field and 42% from three point range in limited action this season.

For the Rockets, John Wall and Eric Gordon both scored 17 points, with DeMarcus Cousins bringing down 11 rebounds. But Rockets’ stars PJ Tucker (left thigh contusion) and Victor Oladipo (sore right foot and ankle) left with injuries during the 3rd quarter.

Next Up

On February 13th, the Heat travel to Utah to take on the red-hot Jazz. Although the reigning Eastern Conference Champions are finally looking like themselves, defeating the Jazz will be a tough task. The Jazz currently have a 20-5 record, the best in the NBA.

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