Although the Miami Heat are up 2-0 in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series versus the Atlanta Hawks, guard Victor Oladipo hasn’t played a single minute in the series yet.
According to Fox Sports 1 personality Skip Bayless, it has nothing to do with his health and everything to do with the Heat’s leader.
“Both games he has not seen the light of play,” Bayless said on “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed.” “Why is that? Well I was told it’s because Jimmy [Butler] just flat out told Spo (Heat coach Erik Spoelstra), ‘I don’t want to share the floor with him.'”
This will no doubt cause Heat fans to ask what exactly Butler’s issue is with Oladipo.
While Oladipo has been glued to the bench, Butler has done his thing. He had 21 points in Miami’s Game 1 blowout win, then he went off in Game 2.
With the Hawks playing harder and more effectively to the point of making the contest competitive, the Heat’s MVP exploded for 45 points on 15-of-25 shooting from the floor and 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range to help deliver a 115-105 victory.
By himself, Butler accounted for a key Miami run late in the game that helped put it away.
The Heat may get past the Hawks without much trouble if Oladipo doesn’t play much or at all, but they will need him to get on the court and produce efficiently to have a real shot at returning to the NBA Finals.
Miami will also need more production from Kyle Lowry and Bam Adebayo, both of whom have been quiet so far in the series.