There is a lot of aspects to the overall game of Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler whether it's him excelling in the paint, his mid-range game, and even his improvement from the three-point line. Another integral piece of the puzzle has been using his physicality, drawing fouls, and getting to the free throw line.
However, Wednesday night's game against the Denver Nuggets could be a sign of change as he only had two free throw attempts where he averages eight a game. While there were a ton of plays that fans thought the officiating missed fouls on Butler, it could be the first step from the NBA in diminishing that as pointed out by Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra after the team's loss to the Denver Nuggets.
“I think that's an adjustment from the league. Staff has been talking about that. I didn't receive a memo about it,” Spoelstra said after the Heat's 100-88 loss to the Nuggets. “But it's clear that they're calling it a little bit more like that. So hey, we have to make the adjustment and I think that's a good adjustment, go to score. Not necessarily to draw fouls.”
Something from last night…Erik Spoelstra talks about Jimmy Butler going to the free throw line less and talks about the possible change in officiating.
“I think that’s an adjustment from the league…I didn’t receive a memo about it…He’ll make the adjustment…” #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/HuxQJKVwiW
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 14, 2024
Spoelstra explains Butler's “rugged game”
Because of that, Spoelstra mentioned how there might have to be an adjustment not only to the way Miami plays, but with the way Butler performs. He said that the 34-year old plays a “rugged game” where he draws a lot of contact when driving in to the paint, and while he will continue to play bully ball, going more “into shotmaking mode” could be the answer.
“Now Jimmy's got a rugged game. So he's not going to draw fouls he's going to wherever the contact may be, and yeah, from my vantage point, it looks like some of those our fouls, certainly in the last three or four games, that those are typically fouls but that's not why we're losing games,” Spoelstra said. “He'll make the adjustment whether he has to just go into shotmaking mode that might have to be the adjustment. I have to do a better job getting our guys into the strength zones where we can still be aggressive and attack the different parts of our menu and we'll get to work on that. It's frustrating, but all we're going to focus on is what we can do to get better and have a great road trip.”
The NBA changing rules in the future?
There has always been talk of teams and players and their overuse of drawing fouls and shooting free throws. Even the NBA commissioner in Adam Silver mentioned that there could be a direction heading where they will “listen to our coaches” and players about the change in how fouls are called according to Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel.
“I actually am pleased with the state of the game,” Silver said. “Having said that, I know there are some coaches who feel that we’ve hampered in some ways defensive players’ ability to play defense, at least the way it used to be played in this league. In part, that’s been very intentional. There was a period of time in this league when people thought the game had become too physical and we’d taken away some of the aesthetic beauty from the game. I was one of those people that felt that way in the ’90s.
“Whether or not there needs to be any adjustments now,” Silver continued. “Is something we listen to our coaches, we listen to our players, and the competition committee will continue to consider.”
Heat with no room for error in home stretch of the season
It remains to be seen if there will be any official change to the way officials call fouls in the future, but looking specifically towards the Heat, an adjustment looks to be made about Butler's focus on going to the free-throw line. However, there is very little to no room for error as there is 17 games left in the regular season.
The Heat are 35-30 at the current moment which puts them eighth in a tightly packed Eastern Conference where their playoff position is far from being solidified. They are currently on a four-game losing streak and now embark on a four-contest road trip that starts with two straight outing against the Detroit Pistons starting Friday.
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