Butler glad to play against Pacers twice
Butler with ‘smile’ on his face over two shots at Warren, Pacers at Disney
Miami Heat All-Star guard Jimmy Butler tried to mask his emotions Wednesday. Only he couldn’t.
Not after the NBA put the Indiana Pacers and T.J. Warren on the Miami Heat’s schedule twice for the league’s impending resumption.
“I’m pretty sure that you can’t see the smile that’s on my face,” Butler said from behind his protective mask, abiding by the league’s protocols amid the new coronavirus pandemic, as he spoke on a media teleconference from Disney World.
It has been more than six months since the Heat and Pacers last played. But on that Jan. 8 evening in Indianapolis, Butler made it clear that it was a moment to be continued.
Continuation will now come with the Heat scheduled to face the Pacers on Aug. 10 and Aug 12 at the Wide World of Sports complex, during the eight final regularseason games on their schedule.
The last time the teams met, Butler and Warren had several contentious confrontations, episodes that included Warren ejected for a middle finger directed at Butler and then Butler blowing a kiss in Warren’s direction.
“He’s trash,” Butler said shortly after the Heat’s 122-108 victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
“He’s soft. He’s soft,” Butler continued at the time, adding a profanity at the end of that comment.
And on it went, including, “I mean, to me, I think it’s tough for him, because I can guard him and he can’t guard me.
Because at the end of the day, that’s what it come down to. But like I’ve said, I think you just got to watch your mouth in certain situations. … He got to see me the next time. Because I felt like what he said was truly disrespectful. And it’s all good, because we see him again.”
Now, actually twice — and then potentially in the first round of the playoffs, as well.
“It’s a basketball game, to me,” Butler said. “Look, I’m happy to be competing against anybody, anywhere. They’re a very, very, very good team. But I’m taking the Miami Heat twice.”
Still, it’s not as if Butler-Warren II or even Butler-Warren III wouldn’t necessarily goose interest for the restart that comes in the wake of the March 11 league shutdown amid COVID-19 concerns.
“I wasn’t paying attention to it,” Butler said of facing Indiana (and Warren) in two of the Heat’s final three games before the playoffs. “I wasn’t even thinking about it, to tell you the truth. Obviously, the world’s going to take it for what the world wants to take it for.
“My teammates always got some jokes to throw out there. But I’m going to go out there and be the best version of me.”
Jones feeling fine
Forward Derrick Jones Jr., one of three Heat players who have tested positive for COVID-19, said he was never symptomatic and has felt no effects amid the Heat’s practices.
“Physically, it did not have the impact I thought it would,” he said, having had to
step away from the team for over a week before the Heat’s departure to Disney. “My first day back in the gym, it was just like my last.
“I never felt the symptoms at all.” Jones said fear did not enter his equation. “I didn’t really think about it like it was life threatening or anything,” he said. “I just went about my day like I did, stayed in my quarantine, stayed in my room.”
Butler’s choice
Instead of wearing a social statement, Butler said his preference would be nothing on the back of his jersey, not even his name.
“I hope that my last name doesn’t go on there, as well, just because I love and respect all the messages that the league did choose,” he said. “But, for me, I felt like with no message, with no name, it’s going back to like who I was. If I wasn’t who I was today, I’m no different than anybody else of color.
“I want that to be my message, in the sense that just because I’m an NBA player, everybody has the same right no matter what.”
He said he is unsure if the approach will be approved. The Heat’s first game that the alternate nameplates will be allowed is their Aug. 1 regular-season resumption opener, against the Denver Nuggets.
Also Wednesday at Disney:
■ Asked about the experimental coaches’ officiating challenge that he has been loathe toward, coach Erik Spoelstra said he will tolerate it, “and, after the season, I will fight to remove it.”
■ Spoelstra said rookie forward KZ Okpala has added 10 to 12 pounds, and is taking advantage of the Heat’s camp after being sidelined for last year’s summer league and most of the start of the season.