"Damn sure would be at home" - Jimmy Butler claims to beat Celtics & Knicks if he was healthy
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler has sent a clear message to the two top dogs of the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks. Now that the Heat's season is over, Butler shared his thoughts on these two teams in a video uploaded to X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.
The Heat couldn't replicate their 2023 NBA playoff run, succumbing to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the postseason. However, Butler claimed that if he wasn't sidelined with an MCL injury, both the Celtics and Knicks "would be at home" right now.
“If I was playing, Boston would be at home, New York damn sure would be f**king at home," Butler said in the video.
Butler felt the same way about the New York Knicks, who would have faced Miami if it had beaten the Philadelphia 76ers in the Play-In Tournament.
"I love Tibs but I don't want Tibs. I love you baby but I want to beat you to a pulp. You want me. I don't want you. It's like a one-sided relationship. You in love with me and I love you but I'm not in love with you."
This is a bold claim by Butler, considering how well both the Celtics and Knicks have played this season, clinching the top two spots in the Eastern Conference. However, if he didn't talk like this, then fans should be worried about Butler losing his competitive fire.
After Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier picked up injuries, the Heat couldn't get past the inspired Celtics, who easily eliminated the Floridian team in five games. Miami could have had a sweet run again, but this year the situation was completely different for the franchise. Still, it has the chance to run it back next season and see if it can end its 12-year championship drought.
Jimmy Butler is reportedly set to extend his stay with the Heat
Now that their season is over, the Heat can focus on regrouping and putting together the best possible team to challenge for the championship next season. Jimmy Butler is one of the biggest question marks for this team right now, as he's reportedly demanding a massive contract from the Heat, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
Amid all these rumors, the Philadelphia 76ers are monitoring how this situation will unfold, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst. It seems unlikely that Jimmy Butler will return to Philadelphia considering how he left that team, but if the Heat can't grant his wishes, he'll perhaps study his options for the future.