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The Warriors are in Miami, and Jimmy Butler's comeback game against the Heat is near

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The Warriors are in Miami, and Jimmy Butler's comeback game against the Heat is near
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The Warriors are in Miami, and Jimmy Butler's comeback game against the Heat is near

2025-03-24 08:29 Last Updated At:08:42

MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler is back in Miami for a few days.

Golden State's schedule is quirky right now — the Warriors played Saturday night in Atlanta, arrived in Miami around 2 a.m. Sunday, play the Heat on Tuesday and the team won't leave South Florida until Thursday afternoon since its next game isn't until Friday in New Orleans.

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Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III passes the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III passes the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) argues with the referee (64) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) argues with the referee (64) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Golden State Warriors' Jimmy Butler III drives against Toronto Raptors' Jakob Poeltl in 4th quarter during Dubs' 117-114 win in NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday, March 20, 2025.(Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors' Jimmy Butler III drives against Toronto Raptors' Jakob Poeltl in 4th quarter during Dubs' 117-114 win in NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday, March 20, 2025.(Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, left, is unable to keep the ball inbound during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, left, is unable to keep the ball inbound during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, center, passes the ball between Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, left, and guard Scottie Barnes during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 20, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, center, passes the ball between Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, left, and guard Scottie Barnes during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 20, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Tuesday's game will be Butler's first in Miami since the Heat traded him to the Warriors in early February, ending a months-long saga of him wanting a trade and getting suspended by the Heat three times before a deal could finally be worked out.

“Another game for me,” Butler told reporters after Golden State's loss in Atlanta on Saturday night. “Another game that we’re expected to win, for sure, though.”

The Warriors are 16-3 with Butler in the lineup since the trade. The Heat snapped a 10-game losing streak on Sunday by beating Charlotte 122-105 — behind 42 points from Andrew Wiggins, who came to Miami in the deal that sent Butler to the Warriors.

“I've got a hell of a team here,” Wiggins said after that win.

The Heat, as they have done with many former All-Star caliber or championship players in their first games back in Miami as an opponent, are planning a tribute to thank Butler for his accomplishments during his 5 1/2 seasons with the franchise. Miami went to the NBA Finals twice during Butler's time with the team.

“We was all right,” Butler said of his Miami years. “We didn’t win like we were supposed to. We made some cool runs. We had some fun.”

Butler left a mark in Miami over his 5 1/2 seasons — eighth in team history in points, eighth in assists, eighth in steals, all of that in just 313 appearances. And in the playoffs, he was exceptional: There have been 18 games of 40 or more points in team postseason history and Butler is responsible for eight of them, including a record 56-point night against Milwaukee in the 2023 playoffs.

He said he loves the Miami fan base — “they showed me a lot of love while I was there,” Butler said — but noted that he's with the Warriors, which means he's showing up Tuesday to win because that's the job.

“I was traded from there, yadda yadda yadda. Yeah, it didn’t end the way people wanted it to, yadda yadda yadda,” Butler said. “But that’s so far behind me now, I don’t even think about it.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III passes the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III passes the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) argues with the referee (64) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) argues with the referee (64) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Golden State Warriors' Jimmy Butler III drives against Toronto Raptors' Jakob Poeltl in 4th quarter during Dubs' 117-114 win in NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday, March 20, 2025.(Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors' Jimmy Butler III drives against Toronto Raptors' Jakob Poeltl in 4th quarter during Dubs' 117-114 win in NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday, March 20, 2025.(Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, left, is unable to keep the ball inbound during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, left, is unable to keep the ball inbound during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Thursday, March 20, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, center, passes the ball between Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, left, and guard Scottie Barnes during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 20, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, center, passes the ball between Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, left, and guard Scottie Barnes during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 20, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Next Article

Double injury blow for Bayern as Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano both sidelined

2025-03-26 17:48 Last Updated At:17:51

MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich has been left without two of its top defenders after Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano both picked up serious injuries on international duty.

Davies' season seems to be over after Bayern said he would be out for “several months” with a torn cruciate ligament in his right knee. The left back went off injured while playing in Canada's 2-1 win over the United States in the CONCACAF Nations League.

Bayern predicted central defender Upamecano will be out for “several weeks” with a problem in his left knee following his return from playing both legs of France's quarterfinal win over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League.

“In international breaks there is unfortunately always a danger that players come back injured, and this time it has hit us especially hard,” Bayern's board member for sport Max Eberl said. “The absences of Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano weigh heavily on FC Bayern.”

Eberl said the team would “pull even closer together now” to make up for losing Davies and Upamecano. “The quality is there to keep on pursuing our big goals.”

The injuries could mean Bayern relies more on central defender Kim Min-jae, who returned to training Monday after an Achilles tendon injury forced him to miss international games for South Korea. It could also mean more game time for Bayern's fringe players like center back Eric Dier, left back Raphael Guerreiro and versatile defender Hiroki Ito.

Bayern next plays St. Pauli in the Bundesliga on Saturday and faces Inter Milan in the quarterfinals of the Champions League next month.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Munich's Dayot Upamecano, left, and Berlin's Andrej Ilic, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Union Berlin and FC Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)

Munich's Dayot Upamecano, left, and Berlin's Andrej Ilic, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Union Berlin and FC Bayern Munich in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)

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