In Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat won a close game against the Boston Celtics, thanks to the heroics of Jimmy Butler. He was clearly the best player on the floor that game.
Butler dropped 47 points with nine rebounds, eight assists, and four steals. By delivering from all areas, he willed his team to victory in Game 6.
As the league grows in talent, it becomes harder to argue who the best of the best is.
Still, we can take what we see from the stats, accolades, and the “eye test” to try and determine who the top players in the league are.
Jimmy Butler has floated around the rankings as a top 10 player in the NBA for a few years, but no one was able to definitively say that he was, in fact, a top 10 player in the league. Considering the way he is playing now, he has risen to the level of a true superstar, and people have no choice but to put him in their top 10.
Here are a few reasons why.
Miami Heat: 3 Reasons Jimmy Butler Is Top 10 Right Now – Best In Playoffs
The true greatness of a player is measured based on how well they perform when it counts the most.
Best Postseason Performer
Jimmy Butler has consistently stepped up his game in the playoffs. This year, he has brought it to another level.
Butler has put the Miami Heat on his back. Without him, they would not be in the position they are currently in.
Not only has Butler been terrific this postseason, but he has arguably been the best player in the playoffs. He is averaging 27 points per game while leading the postseason in steals.
The numbers are outstanding, but they become even more impressive when you account for the fact that he has been dealing with lingering knee discomfort.
In Games 4 and 5, the knee injury appeared to bother Butler. He wasn’t able to find any rhythm offensively and his Heat teammates followed suit.
Facing elimination, Jimmy Butler wasn’t going to back down. After some motivation from the greatest Miami Heat player ever, the one and only Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler was able to put together one of the greatest Miami Heat playoff performances of all time.
Butler’s ability to score 47 points with knee discomfort was a remarkable sight. Every time he touched the ball, it seemed like he would be scoring it.
It is comforting to know that the Miami Heat have someone that they can always rely on to step up in the playoffs.
Miami Heat: 3 Reasons Jimmy Butler Is Top 10 Right Now – Not 10 Better In NBA
Let’s compare other players to Jimmy Butler to see how he matches up against them.
Comparison To Other Players
Although he is playing like it right now, it would be hard for anyone to argue that Jimmy Butler is and will continue to be the best player in the NBA. There are more than a few players that are simply better.
Those players would be Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry, and Joel Embiid. It would be pretty hard to rationalize taking Butler over any of those guys.
But, there are only the seven players that were just named that fit that bill, outright, making Jimmy Butler, at worst, the eighth-best player in the NBA. That seems like a fair spot for him to be at right now.
You can’t definitively say that any other player is better than Jimmy Butler.
On the other hand, the way Jimmy Butler is playing right now proves that there are a number of reasons why he is better than any other player in the NBA.
A few players that come to mind to potentially refute the point are Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, James Harden, and Jayson Tatum. Let’s begin with Kawhi Leonard.
Obviously, he is a top 10 talent and a proven champion when healthy. However, he hasn’t played all year, so it wouldn’t be fair to rank him.
Next up, we have Anthony Davis and James Harden. Anthony Davis has been dealing with a multitude of injuries over his career and he hasn’t quite looked the same since 2020.
Harden has been a shell of his former self since his hamstring injury. Although both are still good players, they fall outside of the top 10 until they can prove that they are still elite superstars.
That leaves Jayson Tatum. Right now, he is probably the closest to Jimmy Butler just because of his overall talent.
When both are at their best, it is a close call. But the edge should go to Butler because of his defense, playmaking, and consistency.
The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics will face off in a Game 7, so perhaps the results of the game will help determine who is the better star. With that being said, even if Kawhi and Tatum were to rank higher than Butler, that still leaves Butler in a top 10 spot.
Miami Heat: 3 Reasons Jimmy Butler Is Top 10 Right Now – Only LeBron Better All-Around
Even before Butler’s terrific postseason, he had proven that he is the best all-around player in the NBA.
Best All-Around Player
As stated before, he is not the best player in the league. There are lots of players that are better than him.
But most of those guys specialize in a few certain areas. They have weaknesses in their game.
Jimmy Butler does it all. He is an All-NBA defender.
His offensive game has grown since he has been in the NBA. He is a skilled playmaker who attacks the basket and draws fouls with ease.
He is an efficient midrange shooter. The only weakness he has is three-point shooting.
But even then, that is not too great of an issue. Butler will take and make threes when he needs to.
For example, he made four threes on eight attempts in Game 6. The thing that makes Jimmy Butler special is that he can impact the game in so many different ways.
Sometimes, people perceive him as playing passive. Sometimes, they are right, where Miami might be struggling on offense and they might need Jimmy Butler to score on his own.
However, most of the time Butler plays the role of a playmaker early to get his teammates involved. LeBron James does the same thing and he has been the best all-around player for the last decade.
This type of playstyle allows teammates to become involved and confident, but it also opens up the opportunity for Butler and James to strike when no one is prepared. Aside from their mental toughness, that is one reason why they are so prominent in the clutch.
Jimmy Butler is absolutely deserving of the recognition as a top ten player in the NBA. He has always been a great all-around player, but he has taken his leadership role seriously as a member of the Miami Heat.
Butler has become a star that is capable of leading a team to a championship. We will see how far he can take this Miami Heat team for the next few years to come.