Butler earns his elite status in NBA
Heat star shows his talent and grit as he wills his team to play yet another day.
Heat star keeps proving he is among top players, Dan Woike writes.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Jimmy Butler slumped over the barricade underneath the basket across from the Lakers’ bench, the wearand- tear of an incredible Game 5 suddenly crushing him.
He’d been on the receiving end of a wild elbow from Dwight Howard that left him in a pile under that same basket. He got up. This time, after drawing a foul, he buckled at the waist and collapsed.
Total exhaustion, a tank emptied and about to be refilled with one last burst of will.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That’s the image of a champion.”
As the Heat walked into their locker room, knowing their bags don’t need to be packed, assistant general manager Adam Simon said, “We’re still here.”
And it’s because of Butler’s will that no f lights will be booked here early Saturday morning.
The Heat have extended their stay in the bubble, beating the Lakers on the back of the bubble’s pop- up coffee shop owner, the player who has put any questions about his status in this league to rest.
“That’s what my team has asked from me,” Butler said. “That’s what they need me to do.”
Jimmy Butler is elite. He’s a superstar.
And he’s good enough to beat LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers.
“Every young player in this league should study him,” Spoelstra said. “He was remarkable, exceptional tonight, just from a competitive standpoint.
“But we can’t celebrate this too long, we got to move on and rest up and get ready for another one. This just inches us closer to our goal, that’s it.”
After Game 3, when Butler’s 40- point tripledouble made the series 2- 1 Lakers, Spoelstra walked into the postgame news conference and anointed him “Jimmy Effing Butler.” After 35 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in their 111- 108 Game 5 win, Spoelstra said he’s earned the full F- bomb.
With Goran Dragic out and Bam Adebayo fighting a neck injury, it’s been primarily on Butler to do everything — score, rebound, pass and defend. He’s played at least 43 minutes in the last four Finals games.
It was more than him Friday — Duncan Robinson’s shooting and Kendrick Nunn’s aggression playing major factors in the outcome. But its obvious that Butler’s spirit drives it all.
And Friday, he sat out of the game for just 48 seconds. “I left it all out there on the f loor,” Butler said.
He groaned as he walked onto the stage and took a deep breath.
He extended his legs, Vans on his feet. As he talked, he got more comfortable, his amazing ability to recover already happening in real time.
As the Lakers broke their pregame huddle following introductions, James calmly said, “One, two, three. Dominate.” And then Butler did. Just as Davis did to him, Butler often found himself squared up into Davis’ chest, trying to stop a player much bigger than him. The same went for possessions against James where Butler is one of the few players in the league who can credibly try and match James’ physicality.
Now, he and the Heat have to do it two more times.
“It’s going to take everything we have,” Spoelstra said.
They’re getting everything Butler’s got.
Since the Heat knew they’d be facing the Lakers in the Finals, Butler said the Heat need to be “damn near perfect” to win.
“He’s been as close to perfect as you can possibly get,” Adebayo said.
It’s clear that the Heat think they can get there again. They’ve insisted they’re not here simply to get in the Lakers’ way. They’re here to stop the Lakers from getting in theirs.
“We’re here to win. We’re here to win,” Butler repeated as his smile widened. “For these next two, we’re in the trenches.”
Beaten up, exhausted, whatever — Butler hasn’t let the Heat quit. He’s continued to get up.
“We live for these moments,” Butler said.
Robinson shared the night’s most iconic one with the Heat’s leader. As Butler slumped over the barrier, Robinson came to his aide. “Take your time,” he told Butler, who relished every second.
Jimmy Butler, more than anyone, trusted his team would have more.