Jokic leads Denver to victory against Miami Heat in Jimmy Butler's return

With a triple-double from Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 133-113 on Friday, as Jimmy Butler returned to the lineup after serving his seven-game suspension.

The Heat suspended Butler on January 3, citing "disruptive conduct" following his public request to be traded from the franchise.

The veteran point guard, who guided Miami to two NBA Finals appearances (2020 and 2023), was reinstated to the starting lineup by coach Erik Spoelstra.

Butler scored a game-high 18 points (7-15 shooting), along with three rebounds and two assists, in his 33 minutes on the court at Miami's Kaseya Center.

The Heat, who went 3-4 during their leader's suspension, were outplayed from the start by the Nuggets who were led by their two stars.

Jokic recorded 24 points (9-12 shooting), 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in 31 minutes, despite not playing in the final quarter.

The reigning MVP finished the game with his 17th triple-double in just 35 games this season.

Alongside him, point guard Jamal Murray, who scored 45 points against the Mavericks on Tuesday, tallied 30 points in this game.

The Nuggets continue their ascent, holding the fourth spot in the Western Conference, while the Heat sit in ninth place in the East.

Miami could also be a key player in the trade market, which closes on February 6, after publicly stating its intention to entertain offers for Butler.

"It was a pleasure to come back and play with the guys, with whom I have no problem (...) Sooner or later the truth will come out," said Butler after the game.

Spanish Aldama's record

In another game, the Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic 121-94, fueled by 30 points from Jayson Tatum, including 20 in the first half.

Latvian center Kristaps Porzingis (23 points) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (20) were also a nightmare for the top defense in the East.

With this result, the reigning champions now trail the Eastern Conference leaders, the Cleveland Cavaliers, by 5.5 games.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves took advantage of the New York Knicks' struggles to secure a comfortable 116-99 victory at Madison Square Garden.

Guard Anthony Edwards led the visiting offense with 36 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

The home team missed Dominican-American center Karl-Anthony Towns, who was sidelined due to a right hand injury and couldn't play against his former team.

Point guard Jalen Brunson was the top scorer for the Knicks with 26 points.

In San Antonio, Spanish forward Santi Aldama broke his NBA scoring record with 29 points for the Memphis Grizzlies' 140-112 win against the Spurs.

In the final game of the day, the Los Angeles Lakers narrowly defeated the Brooklyn Nets 102-101, thanks to 38 points from Austin Reaves, a personal best, and 29 points from LeBron James. The Nets are coached by Spaniard Jordi Fernández.