The Milwaukee Bucks have consistently been one of the best defensive teams in the NBA in recent years. However, they came across a certain Jimmy Butler, who has been on a rampage in the NBA Playoffs thus far. Speaking to Ros Gold on the Sideline Stroll podcast, Holiday explained that Jimmy Butler was playing “at another level.” He claimed that it didn’t matter if it was Lopez, him, Michael Jordan, or LeBron James against the Miami Heat superstar – nobody could stop him.
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According to Holiday, Butler was impossible to stop no matter who tried to guard him. The Miami Heat majorly comprises 2nd and 3rd-round players. Butler has single-handedly managed to elevate the players around him, leaving them just 5 wins away from an NBA title.
Jimmy Butler receives high praise from Milwaukee Bucks’ Jrue Holiday
With the likes of Jrue Holiday, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Brook Lopez, the Bucks were the favorites to win against the Miami Heat. Ros Gold asked Jrue Holiday how the experience was.
Speaking about his helplessness while defending Jimmy Buckets, Jrue said:
“I’m getting my a** busted. A lot of plays Jimmy [Butler] made, there was nothing that I could do. There’s nothing that anybody could do. It didn’t matter if it was Brook on him, or LeBron or Jordan on him. It didn’t matter who was on him. Jimmy was playing at a different level.”
He also made it abundantly clear that neither LeBron nor Jordan, both elite defenders, would be able to stop Butler.
When asked about his experience guarding Butler, Holiday, considered to be one of the best defenders around, claimed that it was fun. Looking back, Holiday said that he made the decision to stick to his guns, and was yet caught helpless by Butler’s onslaught:
“How I look back at it now is that it was fun. I play the game to go against the best players. I play defense to play against the best players, no matter what position or however it may be. While I was in it, I was hot. I am getting my a** busted. And then he started talking shit, I think, it was the last game, or something like that. It’s like, yeah that’s what competitors do. And Jimmy is the ultimate competitor. But you hate losing. I made the decision that I made in that moment, or in those moments, and I stuck with them, and I stuck with my guns.”
Butler being compared to Michael Jordan after Playoff heroics
Butler’s playing style and the ability to elevate his game have been reminiscent of post-season Michael Jordan. The Miami Heat entered the Playoffs as the 8th seed in the weaker Eastern Conference but have emerged as the biggest surprise.
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That cannot be said about Jimmy Butler, who has consistently shown an ability to drag his teams to victories when it matters most. This year, he has left a trail of destruction in his wake. Butler has averaged 29.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 14 post-season games thus far.
The guard has continued his rampage on social media as well, continually making a series of predictions via his Instagram account. Butler’s latest projection claims that the Heat will be past the Celtics in 5 games. Still, their biggest test still awaits in the form of Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets. They have also been utterly impressive en route to the Finals, dominating a LeBron James-led Lakers squad.
