In a recent appearance on JJ Redick’s podcast, Khris Middleton opened up about the fierce playoff battle against the Miami Heat. One point of contention that took center stage was Jrue Holiday’s performance against Jimmy Butler, the Heat’s formidable MVP. Middleton defended his All-Star teammate, emphasizing their trust in Jrue’s track record. He also shed light on the team’s decision not to double-team Butler, who was running riot during the series.
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The playoff series was a grueling showdown, ultimately culminating in a 4-1 victory for the Miami Heat. This first-round clash in the 2023 playoffs was a wild ride, as the eighth-seeded Heat managed to outshine the first-seeded Milwaukee Bucks.
Khris Middleton on Jimmy Butler’s incredible performance
Jrue Holiday, reflecting on the tactical decisions, expressed that his team was comfortable in letting Jrue defend Jimmy. However, great defense would not prove to be enough. According to Khris, Jimmy was on another level at the time. Holiday acknowledged,
“You’ve seen some of the shots that Jimmy Butler hit. He was hot. They weren’t shooting like that all season long. In that series, he hit that shot at the right time.”
Middleton further said,
“It’s tough to contain sometimes, especially if we don’t throw double teams at him. That wasn’t a game plan we wanted to go with. We had immense trust in Jrue, given his proven track record and capabilities. When a teammate of Jrue’s caliber speaks up, we listen.”
Middleton wasn’t the only one thoroughly impressed by Butler’s performance. In a unique position as the primary defender of Jimmy, Jrue shared a similar opinion.
Jrue Holiday claimed not even LeBron James or Michael Jordan could stop Jimmy Butler
After the intense 5-game series, nobody was in a better position to talk about Jimmy Butler and his level during the playoff series than Jrue Holiday. Butler averaged a mammoth 37.6 points per game in the series. This undoubtedly proved to be one of the biggest challenges of Jrue Holiday’s career. In an interview with Ros Gold, Jrue admitted,
“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. Jimmy was playing at a different level.”
The series was defined by this epic clash of Holiday and Butler at the forefront. Both Middleton and Holiday echoed the sentiment that Jimmy Butler was operating on a level beyond, pushing the Heat to a victory. Their run culminated at the NBA Finals, against a superior Denver Nuggets led by Nikola Jokic.
