Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler Might Be In For Best Year Yet – Defending
Jimmy Butler has, arguably, played his best professional ball, ever, with the Miami Heat. Here’s the case.
He has maintained his statistical output in most areas, while increasing his statistical output from a playmaker’s perspective in Miami. Lastly, he’s done all of this statistically, while also greatly contributing towards winning at the highest level that he’s done it at.
Taking his team to the brink of a title certainly qualifies there. Going toe to toe with LeBron James to do it, minimally, the second greatest player ever and in example of the following fact… he’s had to do it all in Miami during his tenure.
That’s just where the focus is here today though. Here are three reasons why Jimmy Butler is, likely, in for his best season yet.
Defense
Jimmy Butler has been one of the best two-way players in the league since about his second or third year in the league. He’s a load on the defensive side for any guy in the NBA, from point guards to centers.
Outside of Bam Adebayo, evenly disbursed across most nights when Jimmy isn’t just worn out from doing everything else, he’s the Heat’s best defender. Well and outside of Bam again, he won’t have to be for the Miami Heat this season.
When you are talking P.J. Tucker, Kyle Lowry, and Markieff Morris, to name a few, those guys can help to take a ton of the defensive load off of him there. He might still be the best defender on the floor on a ton of occasions, but the key thing is that he won’t have to be.
That’s important.