The feud between the Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler and Indiana Pacers forward T.J. Warren hasn’t been forgotten by Butler, who’s excited about playing the Pacers twice next month.
Butler spoke on a media teleconference in Orlando, Fla., wearing a mask, and indicating how eager he is to once again face Warren on the court.
Jimmy Butler on TJ Warren: "It's a basketball game to me. I'm pretty sure you can't see the smile that's on my face. They've a very, very good team, but I'm taking the Miami Heat twice."
— Five Reasons Sports 🏀🏈⚾️🏒⚽️ (@5ReasonsSports) July 14, 2020
The dispute between the two players took place during the Jan. 8 Heat-Pacers game in Indianapolis and resulted in Warren’s ejection and fines for both players.
Following the contest, Butler went on social media and insulted Warren by calling him “trash.” Butler also indicated how eager he was to face Warren in their next matchup.
That matchup was put on hold when the NBA suspended play on March 11, but the resumption of the 2019-20 coming later this month will have the two teams facing each other twice.
Those games on Aug. 10 and Aug. 14 should be fascinating to watch, though it’s likely that both players will be more focused on simply winning games.
That’s because prior to the NBA shutting down action, the Heat held a tight advantage over the Pacers, with Miami’s 41-24 record two games better than the Pacers’ 39-26 mark.
From a broader perspective, an on-court battle between the two players pales in comparison to the current state of the world as the coronavirus and racial issues take center stage.
While Warren has yet to been heard from in this feud, it’s likely that he shares Butler’s enthusiasm about meeting up again.
