"Jimmy Butler plays chess!... You can see how he changes everything in the playoffs" - Brian Windhorst highlights Miami Heat talisman's mentality change in postseason
The Miami Heat came out in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals and made a statement. Despite the Boston Celtics getting all the hype, they reminded everyone who finished the season atop the Eastern Conference.
Led by an incredible performance from Jimmy Butler, Miami took care of Boston by a final score of 118-107. Butler has been known to step up his game in the playoffs, and he did just that against the Celtics.
In 41 minutes of action, he racked up 41 points, nine rebounds, five assists, four steals, and three blocks. On top of this, he shot an efficient 63.2% from the field. To put it simply, Boston had no answer to slow him down.
Following this masterclass against the league's top defense, the national media was quick to praise the All-Star forward. ESPN's Brian Windhorst recently opened up on how Jimmy Butler drastically changes his mentality once the playoffs roll around.
"Jimmy Butler plays chess... You can see how he changes everything in the playoffs."
Since the postseason began, Jimmy Butler's numbers have seen a nice jump compared to the regular season. Through 11 playoff games, he is averaging 29.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 2.3 steals. As Windhorst put it, Butler is a "quintessential playoff player."
"Jimmy Butler plays chess! ... You can see how he changes everything in the playoffs. ... He is the quintessential playoff player."
—@WindhorstESPN https://t.co/5XcfEvdeet
Can the Miami Heat take down the Boston Celtics?
When the Boston Celtics took down the Milwaukee Bucks, they became the new favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. After seeing how Game 1 unfolded, some people might be starting to change their minds.
All season, the Miami Heat were pegged as a team that would be a tough matchup come the playoffs, and we are starting to see why. Not only are they a hard-nosed, physical team, but they are led by an extremely competitive player in Jimmy Butler.
Whether they wanted to make a statement or not, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat sent a message in their Game 1. They proved that they deserve some shine too as a team that could make a run at the title.
Edrice Bam Adebayo somehow wasn't even voted a finalist for NBA Defensive Player of the Year 🤔 https://t.co/N4KH1DqFhc
Seeing how the first matchup between these teams played out, it begs the question if the Heat can take down the Celtics and advance to the finals. Boston is currently without two key players in Marcus Smart and Al Horford, and it is proving to make a big difference.
When the Heat made their finals run in the bubble, the Celtics were also their opponent in the Eastern Conference finals. There is still a long way to go, but we might be witnessing history repeating itself.