Getty Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat in action against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 29, 2021.
Miami Heat team leader Jimmy Butler has remained confident all season that his team would return to the NBA Finals despite their numerous pitfalls, but after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team with the worst record in the NBA, the five-time All-Star has lost his positive spirit.
On Friday night, following the Heat’s loss 119-111 to Minnesota, “We don’t deserve to win,” Butler said. “Whenever we take these teams lightly, we don’t do what we’re supposed to do on the defensive end, we just look bad, as a whole, as a group, as a unit. It’s not good basketball.”
While Butler led the team with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, he expressed disappointment with the rest of his teammates, spoke about their inconsistencies, and lack of aggression on the court.
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“Hell, if we want to go out there and guard somebody, and if we want to box out and rebound, it could be good,” Butler said. “If we don’t want to do that, and if we want to do what we’ve been doing for these past couple of games, we’ll be bad. I don’t know.”
Jimmy Butler on all the 2nd chance points: We’re just being soft. That’s it. Not getting into bodies. Scared of some contact. Soft overall.
“It’s on us to figure it out,” Butler continued. “I can’t tell you which way we’re going to go. I don’t know what team is going to show up on any given night.” The 31-year-old star blamed their lack of defense on players “just being soft. Not getting into bodies. Scared of contact. Soft overall.”
Butler Personally Called Out Bam Adebayo for Letting People ‘Off the Hook’
GettyHeat stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
Butler has never been a one-man show and he doesn’t want to be. What Butler wants is a full-team effort, especially from fellow All-Star Bam Adebayo, who only took eight shot attempts against the Timberwolves. Butler wants him to attack the rim more because “nobody can stay in front of him.”
“I love him shooting mid-range jump shots too,” Butler continued, “but he lets people off the hook. Play bully ball. I like bully ball.”
Jimmy Butler: I want Bam to attack the rim because no one can stay in front of him. Go! You’re going to get fouled or you’re going to dunk on somebody. I love him shooting mid-range jumpers too but he lets people off the hook. Play bully ball. I like bully ball.
Heat’s head coach Erik Spoelstra also spoke of Adebayo’s lack of offense but said the issue is deeper than just his attack. “It’s not about scoring, that’s the hard thing in the league,” Spoelstra said. “Bam has so many things that are important for him to do for us to be successful. Scoring is just one of them.”
“Facilitating, screening, defending, communicating our defense, finishing off our defense — all of these things,” Spoelstra continued. “I think he was in a great flow… and then the foul trouble really sidelined him earlier than we all would have liked and those were tough calls too.”
Adebayo was aware of his lackluster performance against the Timberwolves. During the postgame conference, he didn’t attempt to give excuses. “Speechless,” Adebayo said. “We shouldn’t have lost that game.”
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