Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler knows they’re capable of so much more
Following the Miami Heat’s Game 5, and series-clinching win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Jimmy Buter spoke highly of this team’s ceiling.
Jimmy Butler joined up with the Miami Heat in South Beach with championship aspirations. After knocking out the number one seed Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, it’s looking like he and the team very well may earn a shot at the title.
They’ve got one (potentially) seven-game series standing in between them and the 2020 NBA Finals, a championship that’s taken almost 11 months to come to fruition. Miami will now wait out the Boston and Toronto series, which will determine their Conference Finals opponent.
Butler and this Heat team have surprised this season. From Duncan Robinson’s clinic campaign behind the three-point line to Tyler Herro’s splash of a rookie year, all the way down to mid-season acquisitions that have proven key contributors in the playoffs.
But when speaking with the media after their Game 5 win, Butler only spoke on where this team has yet to go, and how much better they can be going forward. When asked if Miami had played their best basketball yet, the Heat alpha was confident in saying no:
"“No, I don’t think so,” Butler said. “I don’t think we’ve played a full 48-minute game yet. And that’s what’s promising. When we do lock in and decide to play from start to finish, I think the game would be a lot easier. I don’t think it’s happened yet, but we have to [in the] next round.”"
It’s not surprising to hear Butler’s optimism that Miami can play better. They lost a very winnable Game 4 when Giannis Antetokounmpo had to leave the game with an ankle injury.
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Even in Game 5, with Milwaukee missing the reigning MVP for the entirety, the Heat let it get a little too close for comfort, closing out the win in the final few minutes. But they can’t dwell on that now, Butler and Miami are going to their first Eastern Conference Finals since 2014.
For those at home wondering, yes, that was LeBron James’ final year with the club, and it resulted in a championship. Now, Butler will hope for the same outcome, given this is the first time in his nine-year career that he’ll get past the second round of the playoffs.
On earning his first appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals, Butler was largely humble:
"“It means a lot,” Butler said of leading a team to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time. “But like you said, that’s not my goal. That’s not my guys’ goal. It’s not the organization’s goal. We want to win it, win a championship, and I think that’s what we’re focused on. These next eight are going to be much harder than the previous eight. We know that, but we’re ready.”"
They certainly do look the part, after taking down the reigning MVP and league’s best defense. Still, the next round will only hold tougher challenges for this Miami Heat team. But if Butler’s vision for the team holds true, they’re built for anything that comes their way.
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Whether the Boston Celtics or the Toronto Raptors, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat will begin preparing for the Eastern Conference Finals, as Pat Riley and the front office look to bring another championship home to American Airlines Arena in South Beach.