Jimmy Butler shows glimpse of what is to come in Heat’s win over Jazz

After six straight road games in which the Miami Heat went 5-1, they continued to come home with a 126-120 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday.

Miami has won 10 of its last 13 games and bounced back from a rally it failed against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. They improve to 34-26 on the season and now sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, outside of play-ins.

The Heat played well as a team, with contributions from several players. Bam Adebayo’s 23 points and seven rebounds on 10-of-15 shooting were huge, as the All-Star big man made crucial plays in the fourth quarter. He also held Utah’s Lauri Markkanen to just 5 of 15 shots. Caleb Martin provided a glimpse of his playoff form, making it from both ends throughout the evening. He scored a clutch block on Collin Sexton in the final minutes, totaling three blocks for the game. Martin’s ability to spread the floor and create offense with his powerful attacks and drives played a big impact.

Another key takeaway was how much more comfortable Terry Rozier looked. Rozier provided efficient shooting, making 5 of 9 from the field, while also creating a game with a team-high eight assists. As the matches went on, he seemed much more effective in his role.

Miami shot 52 percent from the field compared to Utah’s 48 percent and controlled the basketball while committing just six turnovers compared to Utah’s 10. This game featured both teams running, but it was the Heat who ran up the score and never got back into the final. a few minutes of the third quarter. That’s when the momentum shifted, led by a second-half takeover by Jimmy Butler.

Adebayo returned to the locker room before the start of the final quarter after a hard fall, and that’s when Butler stepped in in his absence to lead the Heat’s charge. Butler shot the ball effectively in all departments tonight; the field, the 3-point range and the free throws. He’s always at his best when he’s attacking and fouling, and was 10 of 11 from the free throw line. Butler led both teams in plus-minus with a plus-14 on the floor.

Fortunately, Adebayo was able to get back into the match and just in time to close it out. Adebayo and Butler took turns playing the highlights until Butler completely sealed the deal himself down the stretch. He had two clutch and 1s and it was clear he breathed new life into the team after falling behind shortly after halftime. This team has always been at its best when Butler leads the way and is aggressive offensively.

In addition to winning 10 of their last 13 games, Miami has also won six of their last seven games. They have the second-best defensive rating in the league since the beginning of February and are rolling a month before NBA playoffs again. Butler proclaimed after the New Orleans Pelicans’ victory a week ago that “it’s time.” On Saturday, Heat Nation may have just gotten its first look at “Playoff Jimmy.”