NBA Who’s Hot, Who’s Not: Butler Carries Slumping Heat, Rozier and Herro Off the Mark

Eastern Conference Who’s Hot

• Jimmy Butler – The Heat finally snapped a long losing streak Wednesday behind 31 points on 10-for-14 shooting for Butler. He’s actually been hot throughout the slump, though, as he puts together his best personal run of the season. The veteran wing is averaging 22.7 points on 60% shooting in nine games since his return from a toe injury, and he’s 11-for-18 from the arc (61.1%) over the last six.
• Cam Thomas – This guy is so streaky we’re going to have a week where he winds up in Who’s Hot and Who’s Not at the same time. He has the ability to pack in some incredible stat lines and some atrocious ones in the same week. The Nets put Thomas in the starting lineup three games ago and he’s taken advantage, averaging 29.0 points on 55.6% shooting.
• P.J. Washington – He’s mostly come off the bench this season after starting 73 games in 2022-23, but lately, it’s been a little of both as the Hornets try to get his hot hand in where they can. Washington scored 43 points on 17-for-22 shooting in a loss to Utah on Saturday, tying his career high, and had 26 more in Wednesday’s loss to Chicago. Both big games were off the bench.

Western Conference Who’s Hot

• Jalen Green – Like Thomas with the Nets, this guy seems to be at the top or bottom each week. He’s riding a nice streak now, though, with 30-point games in three of his last four. Over his last five games, Green is averaging 29.8 points on 52% FG, recording three double-doubles along the way.
• Jonathan Kuminga – This talented 21-year-old is having his breakout with the Warriors. He’s posted seven straight 20-point efforts while shooting 62%. He started that run with a 4-for-4 performance from long range. A veteran group in Golden State is beginning to look to Kuminga for guidance. If he maintains this, the Warriors may become a better option among betting lines for NBA action.

Draymond says it’s JK turn to “carry” this next Warriors era 👀 pic.twitter.com/GHJyg40HSl

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 31, 2024

• Rui Hachimura – The Lakers are about as so-so as they come. Through what has been a prolonged stretch of mediocrity, Hachimura has put together a pretty nice run. He is shooting 74.2% off the bench over the last five games – going 7-for-7 in one two-game stretch – while making 8 of 11 3-pointers. The Lakers will need plenty from Hachimura to overcome some big NBA spreads at the sportsbook on Thursday night in Boston.

Eastern Conference Who’s Not

• Terry Rozier – He was cold when he went to Miami last month and hasn’t really found his groove yet with the Heat. Overall, the veteran guard is 8-for-39 from the arc (20.5%) over his last eight games, five with Miami. He had one made basket in eight tries in the win over Sacramento on Wednesday.
• Tyler Herro – Sure, let’s double down on the Heat, whose seven-game skid exposed all kinds of stuff. Herro has been held under 20 points in six straight games, his longest run in nearly three years. He’s shooting a solid 41% from the arc in that span, but just 39.8% overall. That includes an 0-for-6 showing on 2-point shots the other night vs Phoenix.
• Malik Beasley – A shrewd addition to the mix in Milwaukee earlier on, this veteran 3-point guy has been a bit cold. He’s made exactly one 3-pointer in each of his last four games, going 4-for-22 in that span. Beasley will heat up again soon.

Western Conference Who’s Not

• Jaren Jackson Jr. – We had him here a few weeks ago as one of the few healthy veteran Grizzlies who was finding it tough to get good looks. The trend has continued (with exceptions – he scored 30 a few games ago against Orlando), as Jackson is 0-for-7 from the arc over his last two games and shooting 20.3% from out there over a nine-game span.
• Naz Reid – Like a lot of big men out there, the 3-point shot has become more important to Reid’s game as time has gone on. And he’s making those 3s just fine, hitting at a 50% clip over the last eight games. This is merely to note that he is 6-for-27 on 2-point attempts over the last five games. That’s really hard to do when you’re a 6-9 guy operating in a hands-off league.
• Lugentz Dort – He’s there primarily for his defense (no nickname in sports, perhaps, is better than the “Dorture Chamber”), but the Thunder like him to be a complementary scorer from time to time. That’s been hard to come by lately, as Dort is a woeful 7-for-35 from the floor over his last five games.

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