“This would be a heavy ring” – Nick Wright puts Jimmy Butler in his top 10 if he wins 2023 NBA Finals
Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat will take on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals tonight. As the final stretch of the season approaches, the legacy of each of the team's superstars is on the line and Butler's reputation as a leader will leave a lasting impact if they win the title.
Famed basketball analyst Nick Wright talked briefly about his top 10 players who have impacted the league in the last 20 years. According to him, his list could change and have Butler become part of it if the Heat wins the Larry O'Brien trophy.
Wright said:
"If Jimmy Butler wins this title, he'll replace James Harden as one of the 10 best guys to come into the league in the last 20 years."
"All rings don't weigh the same. This would be a heavy ring and what it would mean."
"Right now, I wouldn't have Jimmy ahead of Dwight Howard or Anthony Davis or Dame [Lillard]. But one title can change a lot of things."
There's no doubt that Butler is having one hell of a run in the 2023 playoffs. His efforts have become fruitful as he led the team to beat the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and dismantle the second-best team in the East just last week.
The Heat star is having a historic run as he continues to carry the eighth-seeded Miami squad to add another title to their franchise.
The six-time All-Star averaged 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists against the Boston Celtics throughout seven intense games. Additionally, Butler played incredible defense against the title favorites, snatching the ball 2.6 times in the series.
Butler's biggest task right now is to take on the Nuggets, who have been chosen by many as the team to come out on top in the NBA Finals.
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Jay Williams thinks Jimmy Butler is harder to guard than LeBron James and Kevin Durant this year
There has been plenty of talks regarding the greatness of Jimmy Butler as an NBA player. However, through all that, perhaps the one that stood out the most is Jay Williams' comments about how difficult it is to guard the former 30th pick.
"Yes. This year, he is. You saw Kevin Durant coming back off injury, implemented in a new offensive system that we had a lot of questions around how that was going to work..." Williams said, "LeBron James at 38 years old, who's still one of the most incredible players on the planet but still ran out of steam was trying to guard Jamal Murray."
"Jimmy Butler, though. A guy that can get to different spots, a guy that actually has attention to detail in the conditioning is different than the other two. A guy that is one of the best in the NBA at ball fakes, at pass fakes, at unorthodox moves the way he can utilize his body around the rim."
Also read: "I really only want to win a championship" - Jimmy Butler reveals reason behind not lifting Eastern Conference finals trophy