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Jimmy Butler is back to making guarantees. The Miami Heat All-Star forward was distant when he talked to reporters after his team lost to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals last season.
Roughly a month after that demoralizing loss to the Nuggets in the title round, Butler’s swag was again on full display. Here’s what he had to say about the Heat’s championship aspirations next season (via Legion of Hoops):
“I believe that with all my heart, that we, I, will win a Championship for the Heat because I don't plan on playing for another NBA team. The next time I'm talking to ya'll here, I'll be a one-time NBA champion.”
After losing to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2022 Eastern Conference finals, he vowed to finish the job the year after that. It didn’t look like he was going to do as promised as the Miami Heat struggled all season long.
Butler and crew were three minutes away from having a long offseason but rallied to beat the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament. Miami, in a stunning run, then went on to the conference finals after back-to-back upsets of the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and the fifth-ranked New York Knicks.
The Heat finally had their long-awaited rematch against the Boston Celtics. After the first three games, it didn’t look like Jimmy Butler’s team would need a Game 7 to get their revenge. Boston, though, refused to quit and rallied to tie the series and forced a winner-take-all rubber match at TD Garden.
“Jimmy Buckets” reiterated his vow to complete the task and ultimately did.
It remains to be seen if he can keep his word next season as the Miami Heat try to capture the 2024 championship.
Jimmy Butler hasn’t always been able to back his guarantees
Jimmy Butler had his best performance in the NBA Finals in 2020 against the LA Lakers. Against LeBron James, Anthony Davis and a star-studded roster, “Jimmy Buckets” proved that he belonged on the same stage as the league’s biggest stars.
The Heat, though, lost in six games. Butler had this to say about the loss:
"This is what my team needed me to do, the organization asked of me. I told them that I would win them one and I didn't hold up my end of the bargain, so that means I got to do it next year.
“I told Coach Pat, I told Coach Spo I'm here to win one. I didn't do my job, so moving forward, I got to hold up my end of the bargain."
In 2021, the Miami Heat were swept by the Milwaukee Bucks. In 2022, Butler and his teammates were edged by the Boston Celtics. The Heat then lost to the Denver Nuggets in the Finals last season.
Miami Heat fans are still waiting for Jimmy Butler to deliver on his promise.
