While Miami Heat veteran Jimmy Butler was not happy after a Friday night loss, he’s continuing to preach team unity with an inspiring message.
Butler, whose role as a team leader is partly due to his willingness to call players out, got past the frustration of another disappointing loss by declaring his dedication to his teammates.
“I’m telling you,” Butler said, “I’ll ride with these guys ‘til wheels fall off.”
In Friday night’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks, poor defense led to a defeat against a team that was missing numerous players, including Trae Young and Clint Capela.
Friday night’s loss stopped the Heat’s three-game winning streak and continues a season-long pattern of up-and-down performances that have been due in part to injuries and COVID-related absences.
Butler showed last year that his unrelenting drive can make a huge difference as the Heat managed to emerge with an Eastern Conference title. They took the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers to six games in the finals.
Whether or not Butler is able to repeat that scenario this season remains to be seen, but he’s obviously not giving up on the season or his teammates.
