Jimmy Butler had a phenomenal 2022-23 season, breaking all odds to reach the NBA Finals with the Miami Heat. Though the Heat lost 4-1 in the series against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, it was a phenomenal achievement for Miami, coming out of the season as the eight seed in the East. However, all that doesn’t seem to bother Butler anymore. In fact, the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals MVP is looking forward to starting the new season afresh with the same goal in mind.
Advertisement
The premise of the Heat’s 2023 title campaign can very much be credited to Butler’s incredible fortitude and confidence in his game. Throughout the 2023 post-season, Butler averaged 26.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game, which was quite an impressive stat. During the Finals series against the Nuggets, Butler joined LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as the only Heat players ever to record at least 500 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in a single post-season run.
Jimmy Butler does not care about the 4-1 loss to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals
Jimmy Butler seems to have left the Heat’s 1-4 Finals lost well into the past. The Heat had a fantastic Finals run last season, defying all odds against them. However, when asked about the same, Butler does not seem to care much about it.
When Sports Illustrated tried getting a comment out of the 2023 ECF MVP, he shrugged off the question by instead thanking head coach Erik Spoelstra and President Pat Riley. Here is how Butler answered the question:
“I don’t give a damn. We didn’t win. As we start off this new season, it’s the same goal as always since I’ve entered this league, and that’s to get my team to a championship. Last year was last year; we’re past that.”
The Heat team seems quite determined to start this new season with renewed vigor. The 2023-24 season is a chance to start afresh and bring in new hopes for a Championship. Miami started their pre-season campaign against the Charlotte Hornets with a 113-109 win, looking quite strong for the season start.
Jimmy Butler sent a warning to the Milwaukee Bucks after Damian Lillard’s trade
Jimmy Butler showed up in a new ’emo’ look during the media day, looking to send a message to the NBA fans. The Heat superstar had quite a roller coaster of a week after Damian Lillard was traded to the Bucks instead of the Miami Heat. Sending a warning to the new Giannis-Lillard duo, Butler said,
“I don’t tell anybody how I feel. I just handle it accordingly… I am happy for Damian Lillard… To be somewhere he is wanted, where he has a chance to win the championship I am also happy for Adrian Griffin because to be in the first year and have some of the guys you have. I am still going to be me. I’m gonna go beat Dame [Damian Lillard], Giannis [Antetokounmpo], and Adrian Griffin on our way to a title. I mean it every year, just the emotions. We are gonna use that, and we are gonna go get it done.”
Despite not having Dame, Jimmy Butler still seemed happy to see Lillard fitting well with the Bucks. It would be interesting to see a match-up between these two players, knowing very well how close they were to being linked with each other this off-season.
