By admin 
Jimmy Butler shone brightly against the Philadelphia 76ers, leading the Miami Heat to a dominant 106-89 victory over his former team. Butler, who hasn’t forgotten his rocky exit from Philadelphia five years ago, took the opportunity to mock the 76ers after the game, pointing at them and telling them to “go home.”
The Heat star put on a masterclass performance, racking up 30 points on an efficient 8-of-12 shooting, along with 10 rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Despite his teammates struggling to find their rhythm, Butler carried the load, ensuring Miami’s comfortable win.
Butler’s time in Philadelphia is well-remembered. During his lone season with the team, he averaged an impressive 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, helping the 76ers come within a hair’s breadth of the NBA Finals. However, their playoff run ended in heartbreak with a legendary Game 7 loss to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors. That offseason, the 76ers opted to give a max contract to Tobias Harris instead of retaining Butler, prompting him to join the Miami Heat in a sign-and-trade.
The decision clearly didn’t sit well with Butler, who has often referenced the snub. Most notably, during the 2023 NBA playoffs, Butler shouted about the 76ers “choosing Tobias Harris over me” after eliminating Philadelphia in the second round. Since leaving, Butler has enjoyed far more success than his former team, leading the Heat to multiple deep playoff runs while the 76ers have struggled to get past the second round, leaving fans wondering what could have been.