Getty MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 21: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat looks on against the Boston Celtics during the third quarter in game three of the Eastern Conference Finals at Kaseya Center on May 21, 2023 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Jimmy Butler will be heading into the Miami Heat‘s Game 4 matchup with the Boston Celtics, a little bit lighter in the wallet. The NBA announced Tuesday that the star wing had been fined $25,000 for skipping media availability following Sunday’s Game 3 blowout win.
“Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler has been fined $25,000 for violating league rules governing media interview access, it was announced today [May 23] by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations,” the league wrote in a statement. “The fine results from Butler’s failure to participate in required media availability following Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 21.”
The following has been released by the NBA.
Butler had his lowest scoring game of the series in Game 3, which very well could be a result of it not being remotely close after halftime. He totaled just 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting in 31 minutes.
He and the Heat will be looking to bust out the brooms against the Celtics in Game 4, as they enter with a 3-0 lead and a chance to waltz into the NBA Finals.
Celtics Get on the ‘Why Not Us?’ Train Ahead of Game 4 vs. Heat
As the Celtics look to avoid being swept by the Heat, their players are leaning into the fact that they’re in the same spot as the city’s baseball team, the Boston Red Sox famously faced in 2004. Down 0-3 to the rival New York Yankees, the Red Sox mounted the first ever comeback from any such deficit.
Some of Boston’s players have mirroring the attitude of that team’s third basemen, Kevin Millar. During ESPN’s 30-for-30 documentary on the series “Four Days in October,” Millar can be seen going back and forth with “The Boston Globe’s” Dan Shaughunssy, prior to the Game 4 against New York.
He was all about the “Don’t let us win today,” “Why not us?” mindset as his squad faced elimination.
On Tuesday morning, several members of the current Celtics team were quoted as they delivered similar messages to those of Millar 19 years ago.
“Don’t let us get one,” said Marcus Smart.
Marcus Smart: “Don’t let us get one.”
“Don’t let us win tonight,” Jaylen Brown echoed.
Jaylen Brown: “Don’t let us win tonight.”
Al Horford crashed Robert Williams III’s media availability saying, “We’ve got it tonight Rob. We’ve got it tonight.”
As Robert Williams does media, Al Horford walks by: “We’ve got it tonight Rob. We’ve got it tonight.”
Regardless of what Boston’s team is saying heading into Tuesday’s elimination game, they’ve given their fans no reason to believe and Heat fans no reason to panic.
Grant Williams Discusses Run-In With Heat’s Jimmy Butler
Many have pointed to Grant Williams’ little dust up with Butler in Game 2 as the “turning point” of this series. (I’m not convinced a series where the same team has won every game can have a turning point, but that’s neither here nor there).
It started when Williams began jawing at Butler, after making a wide-open 3 pointer midway through the fourth quarter. Miami’s No. 22 then turned it on, scoring nine points to lead the Heat to a big time victory in Boston.
Jimmy Butler’s reaction to Grant Williams. 😂😂
Following his team’s crushing 111-105 defeat, the fourth year forward defended his choice to challenge Butler.
“I’m a competitor and I’m gonna battle,” Williams said via NBC Sports Boston. “He got the best of me tonight, and at the end of the day, it’s out of respect, because I’m not gonna run away from it. My mom always taught me, and my dad as well, you get your ass kicked and you don’t come back home until you come battle again. You either come back [and] you die or you come back and go get a win. And I’m not willing to die in this [Eastern Conference] Finals. I’m ready to f****** get a win.”
“I respect him as a motherf**** player”
Grant Williams gives the truth about his beef with Jimmy Butler