Kevin Love spoke to media last week and hit them with a respectable quote regarding Miami’s superstar Jimmy Butler.
Butler has averaged 25.6 points, 5.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds on outstanding shooting efficiency and an above average 3 point percentage in 20 games post All-Star break. He has single handedly taken games over in spurts for Miami on route to some big wins this whole season. Without a doubt, Butler is one of the most clutch players in the entire association.
The way he can just flip a switch and turn into the best basketball player on the court whenever he feels like shows what kind of athlete he is. Some players fumble under pressure and lack that consistent “clutch gene”, including some superstars in today’s game. Butler is not one of those people. When the pressure is at its highest and the stakes are huge he is always there to step up his game and come through for the team.
Not just with grinding out regular season wins like we have seen him do so often in a Heat uniform, but especially in the playoffs. Butler led this Heat team to its first Finals berth post LeBron James era in 2020. He led Miami to a game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals just a year ago. Some of his performances speak for itself in those playoffs runs, so if anyone needed a little reminder, here you go:
The tail end of the season is not just the start of playoff Jimmy getting into form, but it’s been the noticeable time that he ups his 3 point attempts. He has been a historically bad shooter from long range for the whole first half of the year’s that he has been in Miami. However, once the season gets closer to the end and especially come playoff time he turns into a 40-45% 3 point shooter, above league average.
It is truly remarkable that he can add that weapon to his offensive arsenal down the stretch of each season. Even as just a mid range shooter and paint attacker that he is known to be is an all-star caliber player. The fact that he turns into a dangerous shooter and more aggressive offensively down the stretch turns him into one of the top players in this game. Nobody in the NBA wants to play a Jimmy Butler led team in the post season.
It makes complete sense why a veteran and former champion like Kevin Love holds Butler in such high regard. Butler is a player who has proved time and time again he is indeed a winner. He has that ability to cary the team when they need him to and take over ball games. In my opinion, nobody deserves a ring more than Jimmy Butler. The amount of work the man puts in to be a better version of himself year in and year out should not go unnoticed.
With the Play-In set for Tuesday night against Atlanta, all of Heat Nation needs to buckle up for the now official return of Playoff Jimmy.
