MIAMI — It’s not something Zach LaVine dwells on by any means.
When he sees Jimmy Butler in an opposing uniform, the fact that he was traded for him back in 2017 isn’t the first thing that pops into LaVine’s head.
Second or third perhaps? Well, LaVine’s only human.
“I think we’re both rightfully in our homes right now,’’ said LaVine, who scored 18 points. “I respect Jimmy and his game, but it’s not the first thing that pops into my mind. I know how hard he works, I know where he comes from. It’s always a good competition when you play against someone like that.’’
That saga continued Sunday, as LaVine and the Bulls took Butler and the Heat to the brink of their first home loss of the season before falling short 110-105 in overtime.
Butler was a huge reason why.
The former Bull was very pedestrian from the field, shooting just 3-for-14 with Kris Dunn — who was also in that trade package for Butler — hounding him most of the game. But Butler (23 points) came through at the free-throw line (17-for-21) and with his play-making skills. Specifically, he found a wide-open Tyler Herro for three crucial threes that ripped victory right from LaVine’s grasp.
Herro scored 11 of the Heat’s 13 overtime points, going 3-for-4 from the arc, and finished with a game-high 27 points.
The dagger came with 38.2 seconds left and the game tied at 105. Butler missed a step-back jumper, but Bam Adebayo grabbed the offensive rebound, and then Butler missed a 25-footer, but again a fumbled rebound landed in Butler’s hands. Rather than shoot again, Butler kicked it to an open Herro, who nailed the three.
That’s the one that stuck with coach Jim Boylen.
“The guy made a good shot,’’ Boylen said. “We got to get that rebound. I think the defensive rebounds were the difference at the end. You’ve got to get those loose-ball, defensive rebounds when you want to close someone out at the end of the game. We’re going to help, we’re going to shrink, we’re good defensively. Give him credit for making those shots.’’
Or give the credit to Butler for grabbing so much attention.
That’s what happened on the Herro three with seven seconds left in regulation. Butler drove, attacked the paint, and when the double-team came in the form of Dunn, he kicked it to his wide-open rookie.
“[Butler] made an unselfish play, a great play, but you have to give it to Tyler Herro, he knocked it down,’’ Dunn said. “In that sense, Jimmy does draw a lot of attention. He’s a good player, but we have to be sound defensively, and for me that last play before the overtime, that was on me.’’
If it wasn’t for Dunn, however, the Bulls wouldn’t even have been in the game. The guard scored 16 points and his defense was stellar in his best performance of the season.
He wasn’t alone, either. A lot of Bulls stepped up. In the end, however, it was still another loss and an 8-16 record.
“Nobody likes to lose,’’ Boylen said. “We’re not happy with the loss. I’ve got a frustrated group of guys in there that want to win. That’s important, but I have to measure this . . . third-youngest team in the league, this young group, in other ways than that. I have to. That’s what we’re building. It’s real hard. We gave them some game goals and they accomplished them.
“Ultimately you want to win. I cannot take away from the good things we do and the growth we’re making, but it hurts.’’
