Miami Heat: T.J. Warren beef is last thing on Jimmy Butler’s mind

Even with the Miami Heat slated for a first-round series against the Indiana Pacers, Jimmy Butler’s beef with T.J. Warren is a thing of the past.

When the Miami Heat’s rematch with the Indiana Pacers last Monday came and went without any ‘fireworks,’ fans knew that the beef between Jimmy Butler and T.J. Warren had likely sizzled out.

The two had a less-than-friendly engagement back in December when the two teams battled out until the final seconds. That trend continued when Miami and Indiana met again in January, that trend continued with Butler labeling Warren “trash,” after the matchup.

But when speaking with reporters on Sunday, the Heat’s alpha dog put an end to the narrative:

"“Look, I just play basketball,” Butler said during a video call with reporters after Sunday’s practice. “I’m going to go out there and be the best player on the floor. That’s what Miami has me here to do. I’m not worried about nobody’s matchup, man. We can kill that. That’s dead, that’s something that’ll pass. Everybody wants to make a story out of it, but my job isn’t against T.J. Warren, it’s against the Indiana Pacers, and my job is to help the Miami Heat beat the Indiana Pacers.”"

It’s certainly safe to say that the Warren-Butler debate isn’t close, even with the Indiana forward’s strong play within the bubble. Miami’s got a top-15 player in the league, who makes a winning impact everywhere he goes and more importantly; has never been traded for cash considerations.

Warren was named to the All-Bubble first team in order to recognize his hot streak. He’s averaging 31 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.2 blocks over his last six games. The Pacers have gone 4-2 in that span, while also winning the next two, securing the Eastern Conference’s fourth seed.

So, the Indiana and Miami “rivalry” will continue on in the playoffs. Butler, however, isn’t counting out the Pacers just yet, citing the different environment that is the postseason:

"“I don’t think anybody’s worried about us winning three out of four, them losing three out of four,” Butler said. It’s a different style of basketball now. It’s a different time. The sense of urgency is going to be at an all-time high. So we can’t be focused on what we did in the past. Everything that we’re going over now is how we’re going to continually get better, how we can beat this team four times. So we leave the regular season in the regular season, everything that happened back then, leave it there. “"

Even given the humble persona top dog has donned, the Heat are heavily favored over the Pacers in round one. Indiana isn’t anywhere near healthy, missing both Domantas Sabonis and Jeremy Lamb, two key contributors for them on both sides of the floor.

Miami will have the best player on the floor in every game of the (potentially) seven-game series. That alone makes them a near-lock to pull out a first-round victory in five games or less. And Butler knows it’s his job to make sure the Heat advance to the Conference Semi-Finals:

"“Now’s the time to play your best basketball,” Butler said. “To do whatever it takes to make sure that your team can win. I know that myself, I know that my teammates, the coaches, this organization, know that I’m capable of making that, so now it’s just me going out there and doing just that and helping this team win some games.”"

If Miami advances to the next round, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are the most likely opponent for the Conference Semi-Finals. They’re set to play the eighth-seed Orlando Magic in their first-round matchup, and it’s expected to be a sweep.

Before that, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat have to put down old friend T.J. Warren and the Indiana Pacers. Game One will on Tuesday, with tip-off scheduled for 4:00 pm est.