Jimmy Butler, Heat Trolled By NBA Fans for Blowout Loss vs. Paolo Banchero, Magic
Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVOctober 24, 2024
Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images
The good news for the Miami Heat is things can only go up from here during the 2024-25 campaign.
Miami dropped its season opener in a blowout 116-97 loss to the Orlando Magic. That the game was at home made the result even worse, and Orlando pulled away with a dominant 39-18 showing in the third quarter.
Paolo Banchero looked to be in midseason form with 33 points and 11 rebounds, while Franz Wagner added 23 points.
On the other hand, Miami’s two stars looked to be in anything but midseason form.
Jimmy Butler went 1-of-8 from the field on his way to three points, while Bam Adebayo went 1-of-5 from the field. Adebayo at least added seven free throws to post nine points on the evening, but both of them will need to be much better if the Heat are going to make noise in the Eastern Conference.
Naturally, social media had plenty to say about the performance:
Big Heat Energy @BigHeatEnergyCooper Flagg , welcome to the MIAMI HEAT 🔥 pic.twitter.com/w1dPqr7Pwo
/+/ @Sxne19iv2Bam x Jimmy pic.twitter.com/nGGhiXyVKB
𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙉𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 @HeatvsHatersI’m probably being dramatic but this might be the worst stretch of Heat basketball since…??
Tf is this garbage
Hardwood Paroxysm @HPbasketballSo like….. uh… Heat?
Miami Heat Beat @miaheatbeatDoing this in front of Dwyane is embarrassing
HEAT NATION @ZachpppI can’t believe what I’m witnessing right now
Will Manso @WillMansoThe Heat to start 3rd quarter. pic.twitter.com/M2wFJnF91F
Karan @ksenguptaaMagic heat summary pic.twitter.com/352F0ix08C
Miami HEAT UK 🇬🇧 @TheMiamiHeatUKThis is the worst.
I was gaslit into thinking we’d get a more fun offense. ☹️
HEAT NATION @ZachpppBam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler have combined for 1 made field goal pic.twitter.com/iND3rFbCNe
MiamiHeatRants @miamiheatrantsJimmy 1/8
Bam 1/5
Very hard to win games with your best players playing like this…
Hornets on Saturday.
Netglow @NetglowNo way Bam and Jimmy both dropped triple singles in their season opener lmfaooo?
Things weren’t that ugly for Miami outside of Butler and Adebayo, as it was a solid-but-unspectacular 11-of-34 from deep and had a respectable 11 turnovers. Rebounding was something of a problem with the Magic tallying 18 offensive boards, but even that was something the home team could have overcome if Orlando didn’t catch fire in that third quarter.
It also didn’t help having Butler and Adebayo play so poorly on the offensive end.
The Heat won three of their four matchups against the Magic last season, so they may have overlooked their in-state foes. But that would be unwise, as Orlando has plenty of young talent and is coming off a playoff performance.
Miami will surely be under something of a spotlight after the poor showing in its opener and will look to bounce back Saturday on the road against the Charlotte Hornets.
