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Shaquille O’Neal and his award-winning colleagues on Inside the NBA watched in awe of Jimmy Butler’s Game 2 performance against the Boston Celtics. After Grant Williams’ trash talked, Butler responded by leading his team to a come-from-behind 111-105 win and 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Here’s what Shaq had to say about Williams’ trash talking and Butler’s response:
“I remember one time I was walking and the dog wasn’t bothering me. … Y’all better leave Jimmy Butler alone. That man [Williams] wasn’t bothering nobody. Top talking trash to Jimmy. Don’t start talking trash to Jimmy. Jimmy Freakin Butler.”
The Boston Celtics looked like they were firmly in control of Game 2 after Grant Williams’ three-pointer pushed their lead to 96-87. After making the big shot, Williams turned to Jimmy Butler and talked trash.
“Jimmy Buckets” merely smirked at the aggression and the audacity. Behind his nine points, the Heat responded by detonating a cripping 24-9 run on the Celtics to wrest control of the game. Boston’s stunned home crowd as Butler continued to dominate the Eastern Conference champs at will.
The Celtics tried to rally but the Heat, like in Game 1, were just too poised and too determined to wilt under pressure.
The reigning Eastern Conference champs and the Miami Heat are very familiar with each other. They’ve met in three of the last four conference finals. Grant Williams should have known better than to antagonize perhaps the playoffs best performer.
Butler finished the night with 27 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks. More than the numbers, it’s been his mind-boggling ability to step up big when the lights are brightest.
With the win, the Miami Heat are now just two games away from returning to the NBA Finals. The last time they were there, they lost to the LA Lakers in 2020 in what is now known as the “Bubble Championship.”
The Boston Celtics are desperate to find an answer for Jimmy Butler.
The top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks had Jrue Holiday, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, three of the best defenders in the NBA. Jimmy Butler averaged 35 points against them and exploded for 56 and 42 points respectively in Games 4 and 5.
The New York Knicks succeeded in slowing him down a little bit by forcing games to a crawl and by being very physical. Butler was also hampered by an ankle injury that forced him to miss Game 2. The slow, deliberate and bruising series against the Knicks only played to the All-Star forward’s favor.
The Boston Celtics have tall and rangy defenders led by Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III. Despite that, “Jimmy Buckets” have gotten his way with them almost at will.
Boston didn’t have an answer for him on their home floor. It would be interesting to see if they can at least contain him once the series shifts to the rowdy Miami crowd.
