Jimmy Butler has returned. On Friday night, Butler will be coming back from a seven-game suspension that occurred shortly after he indicated that he wanted

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler took a page out of NBA legend Michael Jordan's book to announce his return to the lineup versus the Denver Nuggets on Friday.

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

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.

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.

MIAMI — Jimmy Butler walked out of the Miami Heat locker room on Friday night wearing a Michael Jordan jersey. It wasn’t a No. 23 jersey. It was a No. 45 — the one Jordan briefly wore when he returned to the Chicago Bulls after coming out of retirement in March 1995.

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’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.

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.

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.

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.