Jimmy Butler: Heat Will Make NBA Playoffs Despite 'Terrible' Start to Season

Jimmy Butler remains confident the Miami Heat will turn things around, but he also offered an honest and frank assessment of how they have started this season.

Speaking to ESPN's Rachel Nichols, Butler guaranteed the Heat will "turn it around" and make the playoffs despite their "terrible" performance thus far (starts at 0:23 mark):

Later in the interview, Butler told Nichols that you can "book it" about the Heat being in the postseason (starts at 5:38 mark). 

It's hard to figure out which version of the Heat is the real one. After reaching the NBA Finals last season, expectations were high for the Heat coming into 2020-21. Things haven't gone as planned thus far because of poor performances, injuries to key players and absences related to the league's COVID-19 protocols. 

The Heat are currently in 11th place in the Eastern Conference with a 12-17 record. Playing in the Southeast Division has kept them close to first place, as all five teams currently have losing records. The Charlotte Hornets lead the division with a 13-15 record.  

Since Feb. 3, 2020, when a win over the Philadelphia 76ers improved their record to 34-15, the Heat are 22-31 in their last 53 regular-season games. Their playoff run last season obviously hides a lot of those struggles, but they have been a sub-.500 team in the regular season for more than one calendar year. 

Butler and Goran Dragic have each missed 12 games thus far. Tyler Herro sat out seven consecutive games from Jan. 16-27 with a neck injury. Avery Bradley is currently out with a calf injury. 

Given how much trouble the Heat have had keeping their main lineup on the court at the same time, it's not a surprise they have been one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA thus far. The reigning Eastern Conference champions rank 25th in offensive rating and 27th in points per game (107.2).

As long as the Heat can keep Butler, Herro, Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson on the court together and playing with chemistry, they certainly have the talent to be one of the best teams in the east.