The Miami Heat were the number one seed in the NBA’s Eastern Conference coming into the NBA Playoffs. Though many wrote them off as a paper tiger, meaning that they weren’t quite as good or the team that their story, the narrative, or their record indicated, they are the first team in either conference to make it to the Conference Finals.
Behind their leader in Jimmy Butler, who has been one of the absolute best players in these 2022 NBA Playoff proceedings, the Miami Heat have managed to dispel their two playoff opponents while only playing three extra games. They would see themselves getting rid of Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks in five games, while they would end things in Philadelphia in six, two more than the four it takes to sweep a team.
Heading out of the sixth and final game of their second series against Philadelphia though, one former 76er that currently plays for the Miami Heat had a message for his former team.
The Miami Heat got a win behind the stellar play of Jimmy Butler in Game 6 over Philly, heading to the ECF. He hasn’t forgotten how he got here though, at all.
It’s safe to say that he hasn’t forgotten and he still takes this particular nugget personally.
Jimmy Butler with a strong message for the 76ers after the Heat beat Philly in the Eastern Conference Finals. “Tobias Harris over me?”
— WPLG Local 10 Sports (@Local10Sports) May 13, 2022
Video from photojournalist David Silver https://t.co/NdIVGYdQts pic.twitter.com/XDONATuHHW
With there still being a clear connection between Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid, to which Embiid would allude again after their Game 6 series and playoff elimination defeat, it’s easy to forget Jimmy’s brief stay in the City Of Brotherly Love. Well, you can be certain that Jimmy Butler didn’t forget.
With the rumor being that the Philadelphia 76ers had to make a choice between Jimmy Butler or Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris, with them obviously choosing the latter pair, the former was a bit perturbed by the decision. As Butler would state after the game, he loves the Miami Heat, but he still feels a way about that choice.
You would actually expect nothing less from this dude though, as that’s a huge part of the reason you absolutely love him as a player on your favorite basketball team. For whatever it’s worth, we are glad, as Miami Heat fans and faithful, that Philly made this ultimate mistake but again, Jimmy will never forget it.