"The best player left": Jimmy Butler enjoys "running over opponents", literally

Boston has found no answers to the aggressive and tough style of the Miami star, who puts up marvelous money-time numbers and proves time and time again how much he is underrated.

Taitum, on the other hand, knows that the "black quarter" cannot repeat itself, regardless of the Celtics' absences and mitigating circumstances.

Walla!

sport

18/05/2022

Wednesday, 18 May 2022, 09:20

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Ja Morant Lame After Injury in Game 3 Against Golden State (From Twitter)

"I love physical basketball. I want to run over my opponents and see who falls first, who raises their hands first."

In two short sentences, Jimmy Butler sums up the difference between him and Miami and Jason Taitum and the other Boston players.

The first game in the Eastern Conference final proved that at least for now, the Celtics have no answer to the toughness and killing instinct of "Jimmy Bucks": he scored 41 points in fantastic percentages (12 from 18 from the field, 17 from 18 from penalties), added 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and also 3 blocks, and swept the hit to a 108: 117 victory in the first game of the series, after a dominant and sweeping second half.

The numbers illustrate how much Butler is meant for big games: he scored 40 points and up five times in a Miami uniform - all in the playoffs;

He now holds the club record for playoff games with 40, 5 and 5, with three such (one more than LeBron James and Dwayne Wade);

Stands a career-high five playoff games with 40 points or more on 60 percent or more from the field - placing him third in that category in the last 30 years (only LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal have more);

And continues the fantastic ability in the current playoffs, where he is the only player to average over 25 points with over 50 percent from the field;

"If you avoid competition like Jimmy, the more important the class is, the higher your level," the Miami coach explained Butler's performance.

"He's not trying to reach impressive numbers, he's just trying to do what needs to be done at those levels. He feels how important it is, knows how important it is, and manages to deliver the goods. Jimmy Butler is a competitor at the highest level. There are many players who know how to play. "Basketball. He competes with the goal of winning, and that's a completely different thing. He does it better than anyone else in the league."

More on Walla!

Miami defeated the missing Boston 107: 118 and climbed to a 0: 1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals

To the full article

Not valued enough?

Butler with Gabe Vincent at the end (Photo: GettyImages, Michael Reaves)

Butler gave Miami the boost it needed in the third quarter, in which it went to a 14:39 blitz that gave it a 20-point lead.

In the third quarter alone Butler scored 17. "He inspired us all in this quarter. His three steals changed the momentum, but it's far beyond that - whenever we needed an important shot, a right decision, a defensive move - he left a fingerprint," Spolstra explains.

"He had a great play on both sides of the court. He had an excellent player on defense and offense, and he was still above them all. He played top-flight basketball on both sides of the court - and that's the essence of playoff basketball."

Given the wonderful ability he displays in the current playoffs, against the backdrop of his impressive numbers, there are already quite a few supporters claiming that Butler is one of the most underrated players in the NBA, if not the most underrated.

At least for now, he is gaining (temporary?) Recognition from commentators.

"Say it again - Jimmy Butler is the best player left in this playoffs. Today he was easily the best player on the floor," Fox Fox commentator Skip Bales wrote.

Dwayne Wade also tweeted about Butler being "a beautiful basketball game, and a pleasure to watch."

No excuse.

Taitum (Photo: GettyImages, Michael Reaves)

On the other hand, Boston is trying to take the loss in the right proportions.

The Celtics lacked this season's defensive player Marcus Smart (injured) and another important anchor in the form of Al Horford (entered the Corona Protocol), and was in a clear position of inferiority, especially when it comes to the depth of the squad.

Still, the Celtics stars criticized themselves for the ability they displayed in the third quarter in which the game was decided.

"Everything seemed to be going their way, and we were just standing and staring at them without doing anything," said Jaylen Brown who scored 24. "It's not typical for us to lose games like that, and we have to be better. Obviously we were not prepared to play tonight without Al and Smart "But that's not an excuse. We have to look better."

Even Jason Taitum, who scored 29 points, knows he must get better.

"It's on me. I lost something like seven balls, and that's too much. I have to keep the ball better, especially in games like this. I have to play better, lead better. I'm already waiting to react in the next game," he said.

The Celtics are hoping to get Smart back in Game 2, but Horford will likely continue to be absent and return to Game 3 as soon as possible. "We need to play more disciplined, no doubt about it. "It's so affecting us. We'll have to show it in the next game," Brown concluded.

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• Jimmy Butler

• Miami Heat

• Boston Celtics