One of the reasons Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler is seen as such a fantastic team leader is his self-awareness.

Miami, kicking off a four-game homestand Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers, has triumphed in two consecutive games after losing seven straight matches — its longest slump since the 2007-08 season.

“We lost a (few) games maybe because I wasn’t as aggressive as I’m supposed to be,” Butler said. “We’ve talked about how that has to change.”

It’s noteworthy that Miami has nearly the same record at home (13-11) as on the road (13-12). On the other hand, the Clippers perform exceptionally well on their home court (19-4) and are just above .500 in away games (13-11).

The Clippers have had a productive road trip, achieving a 4-1 record, including an impressive, 19-point victory against the NBA-leading Boston Celtics. Following the encounter with the Heat, the Clippers conclude their road trip Monday at the Atlanta Hawks.

On his return from a one-game absence due to a groin injury, star Paul George played a key role in the Clippers’ 136-125 win against the host Detroit Pistons on Friday, contributing 18 points, seven assists, four rebounds, three steals, and one block in 27 minutes.

“He looked good,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “We were going to play him more, but we didn’t need him.”

The Clippers are an experienced team with four prominent players in George, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook.

Leonard, absent during the 2021-22 season due to knee surgery, leads the team in scoring (24.1) and is achieving his career bests in shooting percentage from the field (53.0 percent) and from beyond the arc (45.0).

George, with an average of 22.9 points, is achieving a career-high 90.9 percent success rate on free throws and 41.2 percent on 3-pointers. Harden maintains an average of 16.9 points and the team’s highest 8.5 assists while achieving his career-best 40.5 percent success rate on 3-pointers.

Westbrook, a nine-time All-Star and the 2017 NBA MVP, is averaging 11.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in a reserve role. On Friday, he became the 25th player in NBA history to score 25,000 points.

As for the Heat, Butler leads the team in scoring (21.5) and steals (1.2) while ranking second in assists (4.4) and fourth in rebounds (5.3).

Bam Adebayo leads the team in rebounds (10.6) and stands third in scoring (20.5) and fourth in assists (4.1). He is successful in 51.0 percent of his 2-point attempts.

A major scorer for the Heat is also Tyler Herro, who ranks third in points (21.0) and assists (4.3). Miami’s Duncan Robinson has been sidelined due to a concussion, and this is a significant setback as he has an average of 13.2 points while achieving a 40.4 percent success rate on 3-point attempts.

Veteran guard Terry Rozier, obtained last month in a trade with Charlotte, and Rookie of the Year hopeful Jaime Jaquez Jr. are key players for the Heat. Nevertheless, when it comes to leadership, it all comes back to Butler.

“I believe we faced our adversity,” Butler remarked regarding the losing streak. “We overcame it, and now it’s time to roll.”