The Miami Heat face off against the Super-Team Formerly Known As The Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Coming off a putrid three-games of their own, a three-game skid at that, the Miami Heat will certainly be looking to bounce back.
Losing to Denver and the Phoenix Suns was bad enough, but at least one can tolerate said defeats when you are talking about two of the best teams in the league. However and on the defeat from Friday, one at the hands of one of the worst teams in the league in the Minnesota Timberwolves is simply unacceptable.
It was, so much so, unaccetable, that Jimmy Butler found himself in a mood and a position to speak on it following Friday night’s game. This was the first time he had ever taken this tone, so to speak, when you consider the message, when, and how it was delivered.
Jimmy Butler: I want Bam to attack the rim because no one can stay in front of him. Go! You’re going to get fouled or you’re going to dunk on somebody. I love him shooting mid-range jumpers too but he lets people off the hook. Play bully ball. I like bully ball. pic.twitter.com/N0kvEJTt3b
— Brendan Tobin (@Brendan_Tobin) April 17, 2021
It wasn’t just that for Jimmy Butler though. He spoke on the team’s overall physicality and seeming identity crisis.
The Miami Heat need to get a win on Sunday over the Brooklyn Nets
Basically, he said that he didn’t know who he would get on any given night. He can’t be certain of which team will show up.
That’s actually very understandable and logical, considering what’s been displayed thus far this season.
On some nights, they compete with and beat, even, the best teams in the league. On other nights, they find themselves defeated by one of the worst.
It just doesn’t make a ton of sense, at all. Here’s the thing about it all though.
The next game is on Sunday and it’s against a pretty good team. If they can, somehow, manage to get a win against Brooklyn, then all of the past three or four days are, pretty much, forgotten.
Not that the issues aren’t still there or that they shouldn’t continue to work to address the concerns that Jimmy highlighted, as they are extremely valid, but the fact that he said it does rotate completely out of the news cycle if they win. If they lose, however, it will only continue to be talked about, revisited, and more than likely, highlighted further.
The Miami Heat have not been able to beat the Nets this season in either of their two matchups. They didn’t have Jimmy Butler in either though and that’s a ton right there.
Sunday shall be an interesting matchup. That’s for a few reasons, as described.