It’s difficult to think Jimmy Butler’s playoff run can get much more impressive. The Heat forward is averaging 29.9 points per game and has guided No. 8-seed Miami to a 3-0 lead over the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.
However, what takes this run to the next level is the fact that Butler appeared to predict it.
Last season, after the Heat lost to Boston in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals as a No. 1 seed, Butler all but guaranteed that Miami would win the East this season.
“Next year, we will have enough, and we’re gonna be right back in the same situation, and we’re gonna get it done,” he said.
Saying this immediately after you lost and backing it up with ease is ridiculous man pic.twitter.com/4GUQLPouKK
— Old NBA Tweets (@oldnbatweetz) May 22, 2023
In last year’s Game 7, Butler missed a three-pointer late in the fourth quarter that would have won the game and series for Miami. Instead, the Heat had to watch Boston celebrate an Eastern Conference title on their own home court.
While Butler is performing at a similar rate this postseason, the rest of Miami’s role players have stepped up their game. In last year’s conference finals, Butler and Bam Adebayo were the only Heat players to average at least 10 points per game. In this year’s conference finals, four more players—Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent, Duncan Robinson and Max Strus—have joined Butler and Adebayo in averaging at least 12 points per game in the series.
