Jimmy Butler has admitted that he needs to be “more aggressive” after the Miami Heat lost the opening game of the NBA Finals to the Denver Nuggets.
The Heat secured a Game Seven victory over the Boston Celtics to set up their Finals appearance. Meanwhile, the Nuggets completed a 4-0 sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers to book their place in the Finals for the first time in the franchise’s history.
Game One on Thursday night was won by the Nuggets, as the Western Conference team claimed a 104-93 victory. Nikola Jokic was, once again, the star for Michael Malone’s team with a historic triple-double.
Butler won the Larry Bird Trophy earlier this week after being named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP. However, he had a rather quiet game against the Nuggets, with just 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
The 33-year-old was honest with his assessment of his own performance against the Nuggets. Butler said after the Game One loss that he would look to be more “aggressive” with his play in trying to score within the paint.
“I'm always gonna pass the ball to my teammates,” Butler told reporters after the Game One defeat. “I have so much belief and faith in them that they're going to take and make shots. If they can't they're gonna make the next play. That's how we played all year long, that's not gonna change now that we're in the Finals.”
Butler added: “Maybe I gotta be a little more aggressive. I gotta put pressure on the rim. Me with no free throws, that was all on myself. Nobody else. We're gonna correct that next game, but only I can do that.”
Butler also remarked on the tactics from the Nuggets, and how the Heat failed to match their opponents. But the forward went on to say that things will be very different by the time the two teams meet in Game Two.
"They came out with a lot of physicality, and we have to be able to match that," said Butler.
"They did their job on their home floor, you have to say that, but we will be ready.
"We will adjust, and we will do some things very differently and come out here and be ready to give more for game two."
Game Two of the NBA Finals takes place on Sunday night at the Ball Arena in Denver. A victory for the Nuggets would put them in a commanding position going into Game Three and the trip to Miami next week.
