After missing seven games with a suspension that followed questions concerning his effort and his public trade request, Jimmy Butler returned to a Heat team that might have expected fireworks.

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.

Jimmy Butler made his return, but the Heat still lost its third straight game to reach the 40-game mark at 20-20.