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Jimmy Butler pulled off some insane playoff heroics to advance the Miami Heat past the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks. He amassed 42 points, with eight rebounds and four assists.
The Heat now face the New York Knicks in the second round of the Eastern conference playoffs. The Knicks pulled off an upset of their own by beating the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers.
Butler will face his old coach Tom Thibodeau, who now helms the Knicks. Butler played for Thibodeau in Chicago from his rookie season until 2015. He then joined Thibodeau again in Minnesota for a season and a half before Thibodeau was fired and Butler was traded to Philadelphia.
Can Thibodeau be the one to finally slow down Jimmy Butler?
Thibodeau was recently asked about matching up against his former player.
"Anyone that you've coached or been around, I always follow him and support him and want him to do well except when we play each other. I know what he's about. He knows what we're about. So let's go. Let's see what up,” said Thibodeau.
The two are a cultural match. Thibodeau is known for playing his players long minutes and emphasizing a gritty style of basketball with an emphasis on defense. His teams do not play with a finesse.
Jimmy Butler is similarly gritty. He plays with a tough style and often gets to the line seeking contact. The 33-year-old can be irritable due to his strong desire to win. He rarely takes plays off and often plays with an uncommon energy as seen in these playoffs.
The six-time NBA All-star was one of the few superstars who embraced Thibodeau’s tough coaching style and heavy-minute rotations in games. So much so that Jimmy Butler sought out Thibodeau again in Minnesota when he left Chicago.
The furthest the two went in the playoffs was the conference semi-finals. In 2013 and 2015, Butler and Thibodeau led the Chicago Bulls to the second round of the playoffs.
Jimmy Butler has a 6-5 record as a member of the Heat against the Knicks since Thibodeau arrived in New York. They have never faced off in a postseason game.
