Getty Jimmy Butler & Jae Crowder of the Miami Heat.
Unless you’ve been living under a huge rock, the Miami Heat currently hold a 3-1 NBA Playoffs lead over the favorited Milwaukee Bucks in round two of the best of seven series.
“I like the Heat,” former Miami Heat forward, Antoine Walker told me on the Heavy Live With Scoop B Show.
“I do know about their culture very well. I love Erik Spoelstra.”
Antoine Walker was part of the Heat’s first championship back in 2006. That team also included Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, Gary Payton, Jason Williams and Alonzo Mourning. That Heat Championship team was coached by Pat Riley.
The Heat have won two Championships since then which came during the Big 3 era of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Wade and Bosh are now both retired and James is chasing his third championship ring with Los Angeles Lakers teammate Anthony Davis.
Meanwhile back at the ranch: the Miami Heat are also chasing the Larry O’Brien trophy.
With a roster that includes Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, Bam Adebayo, Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, Myers Leonard and Jimmy Butler, the Miami Heat are primed and ready.
“One thing I know, they’re going to be prepared, they’re going to play hard, they’re going to have a system down pat,” Antoine Walker tells the Heavy Live With Scoop B Show.
Jimmy Butler, his offensive game is a lot more polished than I thought it was; watching him take over games late. But they’re going to have a shot because they match any team in the East with solid play.”
The Miami Heat completed the regular season with a fifth place finish and a 44-29 record this season. Many laughed at Jimmy Butler for leaving the Philadelphia 76ers after the success that Butler had with Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris. Currently, Butler is enjoying the fact that he made the right decision for himself.
GettyPhiladelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler
This season, Butler averaged 19.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, six assists and 1.8 steals per game.
Butler’s vocal leadership in infectious and the Heat are clicking on a cylinders after beating the Indiana Pacers in round one of the NBA Playoffs.
The Heat are looking to close their secound round matchup against the Milwaukss Bucks on Tuesday evening.
Antoine Walker marvels at how versatile Butler and the Heat are. “They can play small,” he said.
“They’ve got serviceable bigs, but they can shoot the 3! And what I love about it is they’ve got a guy that can close the game out in Jimmy Butler who is gonna make the right plays, score the basketball or get the ball to the shooters. They got a legitimate shot. And prior to the bubble, I didn’t realize how good they were. And from the bubble and now watching them in the Playoffs, they are very good and they could be good for a couple of years because they’ve got some young pieces.”