Playoffs Jimmy was back at it in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semi-finals as the Miami Heat welcomed the New York Knicks to South Beach. Kaseya Center was as hot and hyped up as the Madison Square Garden (in Games 1 & 2), and so was Jimmy Butler.
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The Heat’s 6ft 7′ forward was back from his ankle injury, which was reportedly swollen like a baseball, but he was shining brighter than everyone on the court like he didn’t have any problem whatsoever.
He was over his injury that the man who barely dunks the ball in general made a double-clutch reverse dunk in a dead-ball situation.
Put Jimmy Butler in the 2024 Dunk Contest!! ✅✅ pic.twitter.com/PQxX3rxBTN
— ™ (@AIR305) May 6, 2023
The 6x All-Star, who had a game-high 28 points to go along with, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks, to lead the Heat to a 105-86 blowout, even talked about it after the game.
Jimmy Butler reveals why he doesn’t dunk the basketball more often
After talking about the entire game in the post-game interview, the 33-year-old again touched upon his dunking and how his showcase one in the game last night, after the referee’s whistle for the foul at the other end, was for the people who doubt his athleticism.
He also revealed why he doesn’t dunk the ball more often.
“That’s for everybody that think I am not athletic. I just choose not to dunk the basketball, that takes too much energy,” Butler said after a reporter asked him about the dunk and his ankle injury.
Hopefully, 38-year-old LeBron James hears Jimmy.
Are the Heat good enough for the Eastern Conference Finals?
As good as any other teams in the East right now. Playing without a big rotation piece in Tyler Herro throughout round 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks, and in the 3 games against the Knicks, Jimmy Buckets has proven he can do anything when he is on the hardwood wearing that Miami uniform.
Butler is proving himself to be one the best playoff performers of all time while averaging his post-season high, 34.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 7 games thus far.
Neither the Knicks nor the Sixers/Celtics would dare take this man lightly even if his squad isn’t good enough to get through them. The Heat goes as far as Jimmy takes them, let’s see how much he has left in his tank.