It’s the game we’ve all been waiting for since the Sixers declined to offer Jimmy Butler a 5-year deal on June 30. Butler returns to face good friend Joel Embiid and many of his former Sixers teammates, enjoying life in retirement, having helped guide the Heat to an 11-3 start to the season.
Jimmy is thriving in his Chicago-like role as lone alpha dog, averaging 19.5 points on 44.0 percent shooting, 5.6 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and an NBA-best 2.8 steals per game. Both the assist and steal numbers would represent career-best marks, and if you don’t think Jimmy Buckets is going to do everything in his power to blaze hellfire on the Wells Fargo Center court tonight, you must have been (blissfully) unaware of the entire “You [explicit need me” saga.