Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler didn’t seem too worried following the team’s loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night.
Butler was asked whether or not he has any concern that Boston winning Game 4 could build some momentum for the Celtics heading back home for Game 5.
"If anything, it'll build momentum for us."
Jimmy Butler's thoughts after Miami's Game 4 loss. pic.twitter.com/zbyJtwPDPB
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) May 24, 2023
“If anything, it’ll build momentum for us, knowing that we have to play with a lot more energy,” Butler said. “And we gotta play like our backs are against the wall.”
The Heat still have a 3-1 series lead on the Celtics, and they already won two games in Boston to open the series. No team in NBA history has ever erased a 3-0 series deficit, and Butler doesn’t seem worried that Boston could become the first if it wins the next three games.
Game 4 wasn’t Butler’s best showing, especially from an efficiency standpoint, as he shot just 9-for-21 from the field and 1-for-4 from beyond the arc in the loss. He finished with 29 points, nine rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block.
The No. 8-seeded Heat have proved everyone wrong this postseason, knocking off the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the first round before taking their second-round series against the New York Knicks.
Prior to Game 4, Miami had not lost in the playoffs at home. The team still has another home game, if it needs it, in this series. Game 5 is in Boston. A potential Game 7 would also be in Boston while Game 6 would be played in Miami.
The Celtics have been in tough situations before, as they were down 3-2 to the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round before winning Game 6 on the road and Game 7 at home to win the series.
However, winning four straight games in the playoffs is a much harder task to complete.
It seems like Butler wants his team to play with a sense of urgency in Game 5 like the Heat are the ones trailing in the series. Miami has played well in the underdog role throughout the playoffs.
Game 5 between the Celtics and Heat is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. EST from TD Garden in Boston on Thursday night.
