Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler, Udonis Haslem, Erik Spoelstra Get Into Heated Argument in Bad Loss to Golden State Warriors
Things got heated between Miami Heat players Jimmy Butler and Udonis Haslem and head coach Erik Spoelstra during Wednesday's 118-104 loss against the Golden State Warriors.
The argument between Butler and Haslem seemed to stem from Miami allowing the Warriors a 19-0 run late in the third quarter.
Heat players eventually separated the two as they yelled and cursed at each other on the sideline. In video clip shared on Twitter, Haslem could be heard yelling, "I will beat your ass" at Butler. Spoelstra seemed to be pretty upset with Butler too.
The Heat are far from the first team to direct frustrations toward each other during a stretch of poor play, and coaches frequently respond to such inner-squad altercations with praise rather than a firm warning.
Miami Heat's Bad Loss to the Golden State Warriors
After the bench blow-up, the Miami Heat narrowed the Golden State Warriors' lead to a single point, 81-80, heading into the fourth quarter.
But the Heat quickly deteriorated in the final frame, allowing 37 points to a Warriors team that has struggled offensively without Stephen Curry, who has an injured foot, as well as Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Otto Porter Jr., who were sitting out for rest.
Miami was without super-sub Tyler Herro, who missed the contest due to a sprained knee. It was a markedly bad loss in what had been a fantastic regular season for the Heat, according to CBS Sports.
Butler has been one of the most outspoken leaders in the NBA for years, and Haslem, who is still in the league solely due to his locker room presence in his 19th season, is likely one of the few Heat players willing and able to retaliate against Butler when he feels it's necessary - especially if he was standing up for his coach.
Fans often interpret these altercations as signs of internal discord, yet they can also serve as a catalyst for bonding and togetherness.
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Miami Heat Holds Top Seed in the NBA East Standings
The Miami Heat are currently the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 47-26. Thanks mainly to superstar Jimmy Butler.
Ever since he joined the organization, Butler has embodied the spirit of the Heat and aided in the team's development into one of the most competitive in the league.
However, the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers are right behind them in the standings and looking to knock them off to take over first place.
In their last game, the Heat fell to the Sixers, 113-106, despite the absence of superstars Joel Embiid and James Harden.
The Heat has some more tough games coming up against other teams such as the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, and Boston Celtics, who have been perhaps the hottest team in the East and are starting to look like a dark horse contender for the NBA championship.
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Written by: Jess Smith
WATCH: Jimmy Butler Gets Heated With Udonis Haslem & Erik Spoelstra During Timeout - From Chaz NBA