Thanks to Jimmy Butler’s 41-point performance on Tuesday, the Miami Heat came out with a win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
After the victory, head coach Erik Spoelstra had a lot to say about his star player while lauding his mindset and approach to the game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEhGPNLM23M
Butler, 32, is one of the best guards in basketball. After stints in Chicago, Minnesota, and Philadelphia, he has found a permanent home in Miami and is making the most of it.
In a statement on NBA Today, Kendrick Perkins went so far as to call him a “postseason superstar.”
“Postseason superstar, that’s what Jimmy Butler is,” Perkins argued. “Why I say that is, he understands the assignment now. The worst thing that could have happened in the NBA was him going to the Finals two years ago, cause now he knows it’s a marathon and not a sprint. He doesn’t care about the regular season. And when I say ‘don’t care’ I mean he’s not really focused on making the All-Star team, he’s not focused on leading the league in scoring, He knows, I need my body to be fresh I need to be the best at winning when it matters the most. Then, all of a sudden, he turns it on and becomes a top 5 player in the NBA as soon as the postseason started.”
Through 57 games this season, Butler averaged 21.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists on 48% shooting. The Heat finished with the best record in the East and are now just three wins away from an NBA Finals appearance.
No doubt, the play of Butler has been a huge reason for Miami’s recent success and he will have to keep playing as he has recently to give Miami any chance of going all the way. It’s a good thing that Butler has saved his best for last.
