MIAMI _ Jimmy Butler makes it sound simple.
"Pass the ball when somebody is open, shoot it whenever I get an opportunity to do so," Butler said when asked to explain his role this season. "Just continue to play basketball the right way."
But leading a team in points and assists isn't common for players at Butler's position and size. Butler, who is listed as a forward, is averaging a team-high 18.4 points and 7.2 assists over the Heat's first 12 games.
While 16 NBA players entered Monday leading their respective teams in points and assists this season, most are guards who are closer to 6 feet than Butler's 6-7 frame. Only four players listed at 6-7 or taller lead their teams in both categories: Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lakers forward LeBron James, Mavericks forward Luka Doncic and Butler.
Butler has recorded 13 assists in two of the Heat's past three games, and he has compiled 32 assists and 10 turnovers during that three-game stretch. Known as more of a scorer and elite perimeter defender than a playmaker prior to joining the Heat this past offseason, Butler has entered Monday ranked ninth in the league in assists per game.
"We need him to be that kind of player," coach Erik Spoelstra said, with the Heat idle until Wednesday's home matchup against the Cavaliers. "He already had the skill set to be able to be that kind of guy. Our personnel and system fit him being that kind of player. And he's embracing all these different challenges.
"It really speaks to his level of efficiency offensively. You can see that during the course of his career. He has always been an efficient playmaker. We're just probably asking him to make a few more players then he has before."
Butler's playmaking ability has surprised some of his teammates, considering he has finished a season averaging more than five assists just once in his NBA career. He averaged a career-high 5.5 assists with the Bulls in 2016-17.
"I didn't know how unselfish he was," veteran Heat forward Udonis Haslem said. "Not that I thought he was a selfish player. But naturally when you see guys that put up good numbers or big numbers in this league, you don't think about so much the playmaking unless you see it firsthand like Dwyane (Wade) and Bron, and those guys that I got a chance to see firsthand.
"He's definitely a great playmaker, he's very unselfish. There has been a couple times where he even can make a layup and he'll spray to a guy for a three. Getting these guys in rhythm and giving these guys confidence."
With Butler leading the way, the Heat entered Monday ranked fifth in the league in assists per game this season at 26.3. Miami is also assisting on the second-highest percentage of made shots at 65.5% behind only the Suns (68.8 percent).
"He's a great passer," Heat guard Kendrick Nunn said. "When he drives, he brings the whole defense together, and he kicks it out pretty easy. You see it, 13 assists. That's major. He's definitely an underrated passer."
But what's the line between being a playmaker and being too unselfish for the 30-year-old Butler?
Teammates have urged Butler to take more of a scoring approach at certain points this season. Like when Butler's teammates and coaches were on him to look for his shot before the Heat's Nov. 7 road game against the Suns, and Butler went on to have a 30-point first half on his way to a season-high 34 points that night.
While Butler leads the Heat in scoring, he ranks third in shot attempts per game at 12.8. The last time he averaged fewer than 13 shots per game was in 2013-14.
"Sometimes he's too passive," Heat center Bam Adebayo said. "I got to get on his ass a little bit when he's too passive. I got to go over there and whisper in his ear and be like, 'Yo, we didn't bring you here to just pass. You got to be aggressive a little bit.' You start to see that mean streak in him. When he gets that look, we all know that look. He knows what it is when we give each other the look. It's go time."
Butler has made it clear he's only worried about winning, whether it means scoring 30 points or dishing out 13 assists. So far, so good, with the Heat owning a 9-3 record after 12 games.
"He's making a lot of plays for our team," Spoelstra said.
