"I'm still going to throw you the ball" - Jimmy Butler confidence about Miami Heat role players ahead of Game 2
Game 1 of the NBA Finals didn't exactly go the Miami Heat's way as Jimmy Butler and the rest of the team struggled to gain an early advantage over the Denver Nuggets. While Bam Adebayo exploded for a huge double-double, the rest of the Heat players couldn't find their rhythm and came up with lackluster performances.
Two of Miami's playoff heroes Caleb Martin and Max Strus were nowhere near their best in Game 1. Both players couldn't hit their shots which led to the Heat's inevitable downfall. However, despite their disappointing performances, Butler remains optimistic about the situation and will continue to put his trust in his struggling teammates.
Jimmy Butler said during a press conference:
“Yeah, I need to say them i'm still going to throw you the ball. And if you miss the next 10 [shots], if you're open on the 11th one I'm still going to throw you the ball. Because you will never be the reason why we lose. It's always a group effort."
Reporter: “Anything you say to Max Strus or Caleb Martin before Game 2 given their shooting struggles?”
Jimmy Butler: “Yeah. I need to say if you miss the next 10 [shots], if you're open on the 11th one I'm still going to throw you the ball.” 🔥
(via @TomerAzarly) https://t.co/UosojZ7xfV
Jimmy Butler and Miami Heat failed to take Game 1 in the NBA Finals
The Denver Nuggets have successfully defended their homecourt in Game 1 as they came up with a 104-93 victory over the Miami Heat. Nikola Jokic did it again as he put up another triple-double performance. Jokic came up with 27 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds. Assisting "Joker" in scoring was none other than Jamal Murray, who scored 26 points to seal the win.
Fortunately for the Nuggets, the Heat players struggled to find their rhythm offensively. Bam Adebayo was the only outstanding player as he notched a double-double by adding 26 points and 13 rebounds. Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, and Max Strus could not contribute well in Game 1 for Miami.
Butler had a low-scoring output with only 13 points in 38 minutes of play. As for Martin and Strus, both players were literally offline. After his monstrous performance in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Caleb failed to pick up from where he left off as he only scored three points. Meanwhile, Strus didn't even tick the scoring column.
With that in mind, the Heat squad will have to redeem themselves offensively if they want to stand a chance against the dominant Denver Nuggets in Game 2.