Metro Briefs

General Daily Insight for January 05, 2025 We can forge our own paths. The sensitive Moon joins with dreamy Neptune in its home sign of Pisces, heightening our intuitions and our creative sparks. At 2:01 pm EST, the Moon leaves Pisces to buoy up independent Aries, providing a dynamic get-up-and-go motivation to our inner lives.

Observations and other notes of interest from Saturday night’s 136-100 loss to the Utah Jazz: – Jimmy Butler’s lack of joy apparently is contagious. – Even in absentia. – With Butler away from the Heat for the start of his seven-game team suspension, in the wake of comments and actions he said were tied to his lack of joy, those left behind were the ones left to experience the misery. – Erik Spoelstra can say all he wants about moving forward. – At the moment, it doesn’t appear the Heat can engage that gear. – Just, as it seemed, they couldn’t engage Butler. – Instead, an absolute lack of anything Saturday night at Kaseya Center. – In a season stuck in reverse. – Listless early. – Sluggish thereafter. – In some ways, it was as if the Heat were emulating what Butler (hadn’t) offered the grievous two games. – The difference is the Heat were trying. – Or at least trying to try. – Yeesh. – And did we mention the Jazz entered 7-25. – Sort of trying to lose. – With Butler away, Spoelstra opened with a lineup of Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, Haywood Highsmith and Nikola Jovic. – So not only Butler out, but Duncan Robinson to the second unit. – Of moving forward without Butler in the wake of Friday’s seven-game team suspension, Adebayo said earlier in the day, “after what happened yesterday, we’re focused on who’s with us now.” Related Articles Miami Heat | Somewhere Butler fiddles as Heat burned in 136-100 humiliation at hands of lowly Jazz Miami Heat | Heat’s Spoelstra vows to ‘quiet all the distractions’ after Butler suspension, says, ‘I’m not a clickbait type of coach’ Miami Heat | Heat teammates acknowledge ‘clarity’ with Butler situation, ‘sucks to see that he won’t be around’ Miami Heat | Ira Winderman: Heat allowed Jimmy Butler to have it all, then drew line when he wanted more Miami Heat | Dave Hyde: Heat’s Pat Riley holds financial line on Jimmy Butler in manner Dolphins need to learn – What was with the Heat wasn’t nearly enough. – Adebayo said he attempted to get counsel from predecessor captain Udonis Haslem regarding how in the locker room to handle Butler’s suspension. – “He just looks at me with a blank face,” Adebayo said.

MIAMI — As bad as it had gotten with Jimmy Butler and his indifference and indignation, it got even worse Saturday night for the Miami Heat. With Butler serving the first game of a seven-game team suspension imposed Friday for “conduct detrimental to the team,” Erik Spoelstra’s team offered its own version of detriment, falling 136-100 to the Utah Jazz at Kaseya Center. As he did before the game, Spoelstra pushed past questions about the impact of the Butler situation. As in a Utah Jazz team that entered 7-25 amid a season targeted for losing and the lottery. And, so, the largest loss of the season (and largest in more than four years) and the most points surrendered, a loss that also included a 57-32 rebounding deficit. “I don’t think we make any excuses for this,” Spoelstra said.

It’s over, Georgia. It’s over, Alabama. Your dominant, dynastic days of ruling the SEC and reigning over college football are a relic of days gone by. No longer can you stockpile talent with the confidence that your second- and third-string five-stars will wait patiently for their turn. The transfer portal has enabled “lesser” programs to shatter your glass ceiling, and NIL payments have further redistributed the wealth. Sure, you’ll still be good — great, even.

Mylyjael Poteat scored a career-high 25 points and his three-point play with 2.7 seconds left carried Virginia Tech past Miami 86-85 on Saturday. Poteat gathered a pass in the lane from Ben Hammond and drew a foul on Brandon Johnson on the game-tying layup before sinking the foul shot for the win.

LEXINGTON — Koby Brea scored 23 points and hit seven 3-pointers off the bench to lead No. 10 Kentucky over No. 6 Florida 106-100 on Saturday, handing the Gators their first loss of the season. The Gators (13-1, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) had cut an 80-69 Kentucky lead to 89-87 on Walter Clayton Jr.’s free throws with 4:40 remaining, but Lamont Butler hit a 3 as the shot clock wound down and added two free throws to help the Wildcats (12-2, 1-0) hang on. Clayton scored 33 points, 12 of those in Florida’s 18-9 run before Butler’s 3 with 3:42 left.