"Jimmy a man of his word" - NBA fans laud Jimmy Butler for predicting they would be better after last season's loss

Jimmy Butler has to lead the Miami Heat to one win in three attempts to deliver on his promise to lead them to the finals this year. The No. 8 seeded Heat continued their fairytale run in the 2023 playoffs, taking a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. Miami blew the Cetics 128-102 in Game 3 at home.

The Heat lost to the Celtics at the same stage last year. Butler missed the go-ahead 3-pointer to give the Heat a one-point lead with 11 seconds left in Game 7 of the 2022 conference finals. The Heat lost the game 100-96 on their home floor. After the loss, Butler delivered a bold claim, saying:

Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat are right there and in a better situation, having a shot at closing the series at home, despite entering as the lower seed. Miami had the worst odds among the four remaining teams in the playoffs to win the finals, but that will likely change.

They have battled adversity all season long, having finished seventh in the East with a 44-38 record, losing the play-in tournament seventh-seed game to the Atlanta Hawks, and having to make a comeback in the final quarter of their eighth seed game against the Chicago Bulls to qualify for the playoffs.

Jimmy Butler has been the focal point of their unpredicted playoff success. Fans continued to sing his praises after the Heat took a 3-0 lead in the conference finals online. One fan wrote:

Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat's 2023 playoffs run could be a one-of-one in NBA history

The Miami Heat have arguably given themselves the tag of being the best eighth seed in NBA playoffs history. That wouldn't have been possible without Jimmy Butler. The Heat forward has averaged 29.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.2 steals per game thus far.

Butler has been clutch. He has stepped up in big moments that led to crucial wins, helping Miami get to where they are right now. The Heat may not have made it past the first round if not for Butler's 56-point effort in Game 4 and a 42-point effort in Game 5 of that series. Both happened to be comeback wins down the stretch. Butler also made the clutch bucket to tie the closeout Game 5 contest and send it to overtime.

He battled an ankle injury in the second round against the Knicks, helping Miami beat them in six games. Butler continued his dominance against the Boston Celtics, going off for 35 points in Game 1 and 27 in Game 2, helping the Heat take homecourt advantage off their opponents.

Miami has capitalized on taking a 2-0 advantage back home. Jimmy Butler and Co. have a solid shot at sweeping the series against the championship favorites among the remaining teams.

Considering the Heat's path to the finals, it would be a one-of-one run regardless of whether Butler and Co. win the championship or not.

About the author

Arhaan Raje is an Assistant Content Manager and Senior Writer with Sportskeeda's NBA/WNBA team with four years of experience.

Arhaan focuses on features, trends, listicles, and the latest rumors and reports circling the league's top teams and players. He emphasizes detailed research to create impactful content for readers. A fan of Xs and Os, Arhaan provides technical deep dives in his reporting.

Arhaan completed his bachelor's degree in BBA in Media and Entertainment Management from Mumbai, India.

Arhaan admires the killer mentality of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. He respects LeBron James for being a role model on and off the court. The bold and decisive Gregg Popovich stands out as Arhaan's favorite basketball coach. LeBron's epic chase-down block in the 2016 NBA Finals has a special place in Arhaan's basketball memories.

He has interviewed former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Gary Payton and Ronnie 2K, the face of NBA2k and Marketing Director.

Sports isn't the only passion he has pursued professionally. Arhaan is also into performing arts in the music industry as a percussionist.

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