After going off for 56 points in a pivotal Game 4 win over the Bucks Monday night, Jimmy Butler took a moment to publicly endorse another fellow star at the center of the race for the 2023 Most Valuable Player award.
The Heat star rightfully earned “MVP” chants from the home crowd in Miami en route to helping his team secure a commanding 3–1 series lead over the top-seeded Bucks. During his postgame interview, Butler was asked how he felt about the love he received from the fans, prompting him to quickly pivot to a shoutout for 76ers center and MVP finalist Joel Embiid in his response.
“I don’t know about MVP. I think that’s Joel, if I’m being brutally honest,” he told TNT’s Allie LaForce.
"I don't know about MVP. I think that's Joel."
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 25, 2023
Jimmy Butler on MVP chants during his historic Game 4 performance pic.twitter.com/GDtoyf3PJH
Butler’s endorsement for Embiid, his teammate for one season back in 2018-19, felt interestingly timely, considering the award has yet to be announced but also due to his first-round opponent. While Butler dominated the night with another signature “Playoff Jimmy” performance, Monday’s matchup notably marked the return of two-time MVP and ’23 finalist Giannis Antetokounmpo after a two-game absence due to injury.
Despite the short layoff, Antetokounmpo turned in a standout game of his own, finishing with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. But when it was all said and done, it was Jimmy Buckets who stole the show after torching Milwaukee and inching eighth-seeded Miami closer to an all-time upset.
With a huge Game 5 set for Wednesday, it’ll be fascinating to see what Butler does for an encore in the potential closeout game. Until then, the six-time All-Star will remain the talk of NBA Twitter for the time being, with many, including Embiid himself, praising him for putting up MVP-like numbers against the team with the best record in the NBA this season.
PLAYOFF MF HIMMY BUTLER
— Joel “Troel” Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) April 25, 2023
