Miami Heat veteran Jimmy Butler offered a typically defiant response when asked about comments stating that the Heat’s drive to the 2020 NBA Finals was a fluke.
Jimmy Butler on theory that Heat were a fluke:
"I don't really pay attention to the outside. They're not in here. They don't have Miami across their chest…. Me of all people, I couldn't care less what the outside thinks."
— Five Reasons Sports 🏀🏈⚾️🏒⚽️ (@5ReasonsSports) December 7, 2020
The Heat began the 2020 postseason as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference and managed to win three playoff matchups before falling in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers in the finals.
One reason why such a harsh assessment might be applied to the Heat is that the unique bubble situation used for this past postseason effectively eliminated the home-court advantage that higher-seeded playoff teams usually enjoy.
Regardless of the circumstances of how the Heat managed to reach the finals, Butler’s competitive instincts were at their peak during the postseason surge.
Butler’s performances in the Heat’s two victories in the finals serve as evidence of what he’s brought to the team since he was acquired last year.
Coming up just two games short of a title is already motivation enough for Butler to push the Heat harder to capture their first NBA championship since 2013. This latest insult will no doubt deliver even more intensity to that drive.
