Wearing the opponent’s sneakers have always been a contentious issue in the NBA. However, the Heat weren’t playing around when they imposed an embargo on Giannis’ shoes, as Tyler Herro revealed in a recent interview. Miami veteran Udonis Haslem reportedly initiated the injunction.
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However, The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov reported that the shoe ban was a “team agreement, not the fiat of one grizzled vet.” Given that the Heat and the Bucks have been facing off against one another since the 2020 Playoffs, the rivalry is strong enough to elicit such a strong ban.
he ploy seemed to work out well for the South Beach franchise. The Heat side would announce their arrival in the playoffs after ousting the table toppers in the East. However, both of Milwaukee’s series losses against the Heat, in 2020 and 2023, were fueled by the injury of their centerpiece, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The seven-time All-Star missed the last two games of the series in 2020 due to an ankle sprain. He struggled in this year’s playoffs as well after incurring a back injury following a hard fall in Game 1 of the series.
Jimmy Butler couldn’t topple Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets in the Finals
Wild speculations about Jimmy Butler being Michael Jordan’s long-lost son gained traction in this year’s postseason. However far-fetched the theory might be, it showed Butler’s reputation as a hard working ‘killer’ among NBA fans. The 33-year-old has been a living embodiment of the iconic ‘Heat Culture’ ever since he led his team to the 2020 NBA Finals.
However, Butler couldn’t finish the job this year as well. He averaged a remarkable 37.6 PPG, while shooting 59.7% from the field in the series against Milwaukee. However, he would be completely outclassed by the Joker in the Finals, further strengthening his image as a tragic hero. Now we’ll have to wait and see if Butler manages to redeem his ‘legacy’ and win a ring in the remaining few years of his prime.
