Butler calls struggling Heat ‘soft,’ urges ‘bully ball’

The Miami Heat are losing, and their highest-paid player isn’t happy.

Jimmy Butler labeled the reigning Eastern Conference champions as “soft” after a loss in Minnesota on Friday night, Miami’s third straight defeat and one that dropped the Heat to 28-28 with 16 games left in the regular season.

It was Miami’s 10th loss in its last 16 games.

“It’s not frustrating because we do it so often,” Butler said. “It’s almost like it’s expected, in a bad way to put it. We just think we’re such a good team, and then reality hits us, we’re humbled. And I’m glad because that’s what this game does for you. Home, away, no matter what opponent you’re playing against, you just stroll into the game thinking you’re nice, you’re good, this is what happens.

“I’m glad it happened to us,” he added. “And if we don’t fix it, I hope it continues to happen to us.”

Minnesota entered Friday with the NBA’s worst record. The 119-111 win allowed the Timberwolves to pass Houston and escape the league’s basement for the first time since Jan. 5. Minnesota outrebounded Miami 45-33 and outscored the Heat 23-5 in secondchance opportunities.

“We’re just being soft. That’s it,” Butler said after the loss to one of his former clubs. “Not getting into bodies, scared of some contact. Soft overall.”

Miami hosts Brooklyn on Sunday. The Heat entered the weekend in the No. 7 spot in the East, 1 ½ games behind sixth-place New York in the race to avoid the play-in round that will begin the postseason.

It has been a rollercoaster season for Miami. Key players — Butler among them — missed time because of virus-related issues early, one factor in the 7-14 start. The Heat then went 15-4, resembling the team that went to last season’s NBA Finals.

And now comes this slide. Miami has maintained high hopes of being a playoff contender again, especially after making a trade last month for former All-Star Victor Oladipo. But he has appeared in only four games with Miami and is now sidelined by a recurrence of knee issues. The team hasn’t specified the latest problem or if Oladipo will play again this season.

Miami is 4-20 when allowing 109 points or more, 24-8 when holding teams to 108 or less.

“We’ve got to get stops and that’s the bottom line,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said. “Offense will take care of itself.”