"THE BEST PLAYER LEFT IN THE PLAYOFFS! And he was easily the best player on the floor tonight!" - Skip Bayless with all smiles as 6-time All-Star goes from strength to strength, decimates Boston Celtics in Game 1 of Conference Finals

Skip Bayless has reacted to Jimmy Butler's Game 1 performance for the Miami Heat.
Skip Bayless has reacted to Jimmy Butler's Game 1 performance for the Miami Heat.

Skip Bayless had an animated reaction to Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals as the Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler put on a show against the Boston Celtics.

Miami took Game 1 with a 118-107 win against Boston at home. Butler put in a heroic performance to lead the Heat to victory.

Skip Bayless was elated as his pick for the best playoff performer stepped up to the plate on Tuesday night.

Unable to contain his excitement, Bayless took to Twitter to express his delight. Tweeting in all caps, he said:

"I'LL SAY IT AGAIN: JIMMY BUTLER IS THE BEST PLAYER LEFT IN THE PLAYOFFS ... AND HE WAS EASILY THE BEST PLAYER ON THE FLOOR TONIGHT."

To Skip Bayless' credit, Jimmy Butler was truly elite in Game 1. Scoring 41 points while notching nine rebounds and five assists, Jimmy "Buckets" delivered from every part of the court as he wreaked havoc on Boston's defense.

While his offensive exploits were impressive, Butler was an equally stifling presence on the defensive end. With four steals and three blocks on the night, the Miami Heat superstar put the clamps on the Boston Celtics' players.

With a long road ahead in the series, the Miami Heat will look forward to more valuable contributions from their superstar.


Skip Bayless rates the Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler as the best player in the playoffs

Jimmy Butler shoots a contested layup over Grant Williams
Jimmy Butler shoots a contested layup over Grant Williams

Considering the depth of superstar talent in the playoffs, Skip Bayless calling Jimmy Butler the best remaining player comes as a huge claim to say the least.

With the likes of Jayson Tatum in the East and Steph Curry and Luka Doncic in the West, Butler finds himself in truly elite company.

There is some truth to Bayless' claims, as Butler has carved out an impressive postseason run. He has led the Heat to a 9-3 record in the playoffs so far.

Notching an average of 28.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in the postseason, Butler has been extremely efficient from the field as well. He registered a field-goal percentage of 52.5% in the playoffs.

The six-time All-Star has also been proficient from midrange and is even more of a threat at drawing fouls.

Given his NBA Finals experience, it is difficult to question Jimmy Butler's ambition and desire. The Heat have responded and fed off of their superstar's energy throughout the playoffs.

As one of the most tenacious teams remaining in the playoffs, the Miami Heat are undoubtedly contenders to win it all. Having just enjoyed a statement win at home, the Heat have every opportunity to build upon this momentum.

Poll : Do you think Jimmy Butler is the best player in the playoffs?

Yes

No

78 votes

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Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh