"About once every 2 weeks they look like the worst offense in basketball" - Nick Wright concerned about Miami Heat's inconsistent offense, not sure whether their 6x All-Star is "tired or damaged?"
The Miami Heat suffered an embarrassing 82-102 loss at TD Garden in Game 4. Nick Wright of "First Things First" raised genuine concerns regarding 6x All-Star Jimmy Butler's inconsistent performances.
Nick Wright kicked off the segment by discussing his lack of concern with Miami's poor offense in Game 4. However, this transitioned into his actual concerns, which were with regards to Jimmy Butler's performance.
Nick Wright praised Butler for his tremendous postseason outings and referred to him as a "great player." However, he did knock Butler's ability to be that player night in and night out.
Gradually, Wright proceeded to examine the reasons behind why Jimmy Butler has delivered inconsistent performances. Making an earlier reference to Butler's finals run in 2020 as well. He said:
"Whether it's because of how hard he plays on both ends, whatever knee issues he's dealing with, his ability to be excellent every single night - I just don't think his body will allow him to do it."
Acknowledging Butler's injury as well, Nick Wright continued by asking:
"So the question is, these last two games, where Jimmy only played a half in Game 3 and then played the entirety of yesterday - but I'd imagine he didn't really exert himself much after midway through the second-quarter because the game was so out of hand.
"Is that a bit of a break for him?
"Because if he is not able to give you 30 points on high efficiency, the Heat flatly don't have enough offense. So the only concern I have is, is Jimmy damaged or was he just tired? Because if he was just tired, we can expect a better Game 5 performance."
"What's not concerning is that Miami laid an egg. About once every 2 weeks they look like the worst offense in basketball. ... But you remind yourself that they're No. 1 seed for a reason. I am a little concerned about Jimmy Butler. Is he tired or damaged?" — @getnickwright https://t.co/ZtJ7CAzyIT
Butler has been one of the primary forces behind the Miami Heat's success this season and is considered one of the best playoff performers in recent times. Displaying his prowess on both ends, the Heat superstar put up solid numbers in this year's playoffs as well.
Jimmy Butler has five 40-point games as a Heat.
All five games have come in the playoffs. https://t.co/HcbQ6euDwG
Unfortunately, coming off his injury, the Miami Heat superstar had a rough performance in an overall nightmare of a game.
Now with the series tied at two apiece and heading home to Miami, a series of questions could be raised about Butler's ability to lead the Heat to victory.
Nick Wright's concerns over Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat are valid
As good as Jimmy Butler has been during his tenure with the Miami Heat, Nick Wright made a solid point regarding his ability to stay consistent.
With a particular reference being drawn to this season's ECF series, Butler notched 41 points in Game 1 and 29 points in Game 2. He also played a major role on the defensive end.
The last two games can be given a pass considering his injury. However, the trend can be traced back to the Philadelphia series as well. Butler had two tremendous scoring nights followed by relatively softer outings.
In this regard, overlooking injury, Butler should find his footing again come Game 5. However, without active support from Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry, the Miami Heat will be in big trouble against the Boston Celtics.
The Heat starting lineup in Game 4 vs. Celtics:
Kyle Lowry: 3 points, 1-of-6 FG
Max Strus: 0 points, 0-of-7 FG
Jimmy Butler: 6 points, 3-of-14 FG
PJ Tucker: 0 points, 0-of-4 FG
Bam Adebayo: 9 points, 3-of-5 FG https://t.co/zwiCUnhXoe