The Miami Heat are heading into the final stretch of the 2022-23 NBA season with a lot of goals. Jimmy Butler knows that, and he has now predicted that the Heat are going to win ‘”some games” in the final weeks of the regular season.
The Heat are currently the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. If the season ended today, the Heat would be the first team into the play-in tournament.
Obviously, Butler and the Heat would love to avoid that extra hurdle and get straight into the playoffs, even if it is as the No. 6 seed.
Based on Butler’s message, it seems he feels quite confident that no matter where the Heat end up in the standings, they’re going to enjoy success from here on out.
“I think we’ll be alright,” said forward Jimmy Butler, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. “No. 7, No. 6, No. 8, we’re going to win some games when we come out of this break. All the teams that are ahead of us, we play them if not multiple times.
“So we’re going to really have to show who we’re made of and who we are as a group. We’re not backing down from any challenge. I think everybody knows that. So it’s time to say ‘put up or shut up,’ we’ve got to go compete.”
The six-time All-Star also discussed the importance of health on the Heat’s roster in the final stretch.
“We got 23 to go to get to where we want to get to,” Butler said. “It’s all about being healthy, which this break will do for us, come out swinging for the fences in the right way, staying together, knowing that reinforcements are on the way, and getting our guys back and it gets real.”
Without a doubt, the Heat have been impacted by a lack of health on the roster this season. Many key players have missed substantial time due to injuries.
Hopefully, the All-Star break has helped every Heat player nurse those injuries and get close to full health.
One interesting addition to the Heat roster is forward Kevin Love. Love received a contract buyout from the Cleveland Cavaliers and promptly joined the Heat shortly after.
Love wasn’t much of a factor with the Cavs throughout this season, but he could play a much larger role with Miami. In fact, given the Heat’s need at the power forward spot, it’s possible that Love will get a chance to start.
It’s already been reported that he expects to play a “sizable role” in the rotation.
Only time will tell if Butler and the Heat can accomplish their regular season goals. If they do, they’ll get a chance to accomplish the ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship.