The biggest matchup of the Tuesday night's NBA slate is between the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors.
The game represents Jimmy Butler’s first road game in Miami since being traded by the Heat to the Warriors ahead of this year’s deadline. Butler spent more than five seasons with the Heat, and in that time led the team to the NBA Finals on two occasions.
While there were plenty of good days in Butler’s Miami era, the partnership ended on a sour note, with Butler’s public trade requests and expressions of frustration with the team leading to several suspensions before he was finally dealt to Golden State.
Tuesday night’s matchup will be a reunion with some of those emotions still fresh on both sides. Cameras caught Butler as he entered the arena for the game.
Jimmy arrives in South Beach for his first matchup with his former team 👀🍿 pic.twitter.com/eCQUHVbLlj
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 25, 2025
Both the Warriors and Heat are well aware of the emotions that will be at play in Tuesday’s game, with Heat coach Erik Spoelstra sidestepping a question about Butler before fondly recalling their time together.
Butler isn’t the only player making a homecoming of sorts, as Andrew Wiggins, who was traded from the Warriors to the Heat as a part of the same deal, is also making his first appearance against his old team.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jimmy Butler Arrives for First Game in Miami Since Leaving Heat for Warriors.
