Did The Coaches Get It Right Or Was The Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler Snubbed From All-Star Game?
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler was denied a seventh appearance in the NBA All-Star Game after league coaches left him off their reserve selections Thursday.
While Butler would probably rather rest during the break, some have made a case he belonged on the team. Longtime national writer Marc Spears of Andscapre.com included Butler in his "All-Snub Team," joining him with the likes of Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks) and Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves).
"With a 29-23 record, the Miami Heat certainly deserved two All-Stars," Spears wrote. "The East coaches begged to differ as they selected Heat center Bam Adebayo but not Butler. The Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, however, were each able to land two NBA All-Stars. Butler was Miami’s leading scorer at 22 points per game entering Thursday. Something tells me that the eccentric combo-guard will have no problem finding something else to do NBA All-Star Weekend."
Spears makes valid points. The coaches had to consider Butler the Heat's second choice because Adebayo is their most consistent player this season. Butler is the leading scorer but missed 15 games because of injury. That puts him in the same category as Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, who also was sidelined several games and left off the All-Star roster.
The Heat should have no problem accepting Butler's omission. They just want him to play like the All-Star he is the second half of the season when the playoff run heats up.
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