Jimmy Butler returned from his suspension Friday night in Michael Jordan-like fashion. No, not on the court, where the Miami Heat star had an unremarkable 18 points in a blowout loss to the Denver Nuggets.

If the Denver Nuggets want to make a trade before the Feb. 6 deadline, they need to make a bigger splash than this.

Meanwhile, Caldwell-Pope’s replacement in the Denver starting lineup had an exceptional showing in Orlando. Christian Braun went for 20 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and a block. It was his sixth career 20-point game and his second this week.

Jamal Murray scored 30 points as the Denver Nuggets spoiled Jimmy Butler’s return in a win against the Miami Heat on Friday night.

Butler was indeed back, scoring 18 points in 33 minutes in a Heat loss to the Nuggets, where Denver was comfortably in charge most of the night. Nikola Jokic had a 24-point triple-double to lead Denver.

Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was unexpectedly ruled out for Wednesday’s contest against the Houston Rockets. Not on the initial injury report, Jokic was dow

Jalen Green scored 34 points, Alperen Sengun had 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists and the Houston Rockets beat the short-handed Denver Nuggets 128-108.

Butler's seven-game suspension by the Heat for conduct they deemed to be detrimental to the team is now over and he returned to the Heat lineup for the first time in two weeks, scoring 18 points in Miami's 133-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Jimmy Butler returned from his seven game suspension in the Miami Heat’s 133-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday at the Kaseya Center.

Nikola Jokic recorded another triple-double despite getting the fourth quarter off, and Christian Braun had his first double-double of the season, as the Nuggets completed a 2-0 trip to Florida with Sunday's win over the Magic in Orlando.

The Nuggets pulled off a double dip in Dallas. Here are three takeaways from Denver’s 118-99 win over the Mavericks on Tuesday at American Airlines Center.