The final nail in the coffin for Jimmy Butler and the Heat was when he announced that he didn’t feel any joy playing basketball there anymore. That was (part of) the reason he demanded to be traded, and he made multiple references to his dwindling joy in Miami in press conferences, too. Of course, it’s hard to feel joy when your team struggles to stay above .500 for the season. But, since arriving in Golden State, it’s clear to see that Jimmy is hooping with a certain sense of unbridled happiness.
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Jimmy is a key reason why the Warriors got into the playoffs, and also why they took a commanding 3-1 lead in the first-round series tonight. Scoring 27 points and grabbing the most important rebound of the game, Butler had his fingerprints all over the win.
After the game, Butler was interviewed by Allie LaForce and spoke about how his new teammates heaped a ton of praise on him, even saying, “this is why we got you.”
“It means the world. I’d die for these guys, it’s so fun,” Butler said. “I got my joy back, as some would say.”
Butler was ecstatic after the win and even shared some playful banter with Buddy Hield during the interview. However, people couldn’t move past the ‘got my joy back’ comment. Some interpreted it to be a shot at Pat Riley and the Heat, as they suffered a brutal 55-point Game 4 loss as the Cavs swept them.
"I got my joy back, as some would say" 😆
Jimmy had jokes as he caught up with @ALaForce after the @warriors win in Game 4 🙌 pic.twitter.com/PpCsJ7aE4L
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 29, 2025
Playoff Jimmy was in full effect, and he did a little bit of everything for the Dubs today. A team-high 27 points aside, Jimmy played some great defense, rejecting one shot, and managed to dish out 6 assists with no turnovers. He also scored the last 7 points for the Warriors, including 5 straight free throws to put the game.
Now, whether Jimmy’s joy stems from a pending second-round matchup (most likely against another former team of his, the Timberwolves) or the humiliating manner in which the Heat were defeated, one can never know.
One thing is for sure: Jimmy Butler has found his joy for basketball again, and that’s a dangerous thing for the rest of the NBA to hear.
