Jimmy Butler, Heat Teammates Explore the Lore of ‘Playoff Jimmy’

For the Miami star and those who have seen him play up close, the postseason theatrics have become the new normal rather than an alter ego.

One of the many reasons Heat star Jimmy Butler was selected to be the guest editor of Sports Illustrated’s NBA preview issue was his memorable postseason exploits over the past four years. Since joining Miami in 2019, Butler has put up some remarkable numbers in high-stakes moments: a 40-point triple double in Game 3 of the ’20 Finals, 47 points in Boston while facing elimination in Game 6 of the ’22 Eastern Conference finals and a 56-point explosion to stun the Bucks in Game 4 in the first round of the Heat’s ’23 run.

Those performances have earned Butler the moniker “Playoff Jimmy,” a nickname so official it appears on both Butler’s Wikipedia and Basketball Reference pages. How do Jimmy himself and those around him feel about the honor, though? We asked them.

Jimmy Butler on whether the “Playoff Jimmy” nickname bothers him: Not really. I don’t really pay attention to any of that. I hear it. I see it pop up here and there on Instagram. I’m just out there hooping, it is what it is. I still don’t believe it’s a real thing. I just be hooping. It just so happens I make shots in April and the playoffs.

Pat Riley, Heat president: You know, it’s normal to him. And I think when somebody puts a moniker on you like that, it just sort of, even though he has performed at a high level and had some outrageous games in the playoffs, it puts a little more pressure on you the next year to be “Playoff Jimmy.” So, from that standpoint, he plays it down. And it also comes to the standpoint where I said, you know, he really doesn’t need a pat on the back. He doesn’t need to be called “Playoff Jimmy.” He just wants to be a winner. And if somebody lays that kind of thing on him, and he has to answer a question about it, I’m not surprised that he sort of says ’No, that’s not me; I just go out there and I hoop.’ And he’s sincere about that. He knows what winning time really is about and when it is, and he will play the game the right way.

Butler has earned the nickname “Playoff Jimmy” thanks to his postseason exploits over the past four years :: David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports

Max Strus, Cavaliers guard and former Heat teammate: Jimmy was special all last season. I will say that out of the three years I’ve been with them, night in and night out all last year, he was phenomenal. But I think Jimmy just loves the moment and loves competition, and he’s gonna step up when it matters most. I don’t want to put words in his mouth. But to us, it was like, “Oh, we got ‘Playoff Jimmy.’ He’s gonna take over.” He’s gonna do what he does. It seems like he’s a whole different animal. But I think it’s just the heightened moment. Just to see the ability to turn it on when he needs to is really special and fun to watch.

Kyle Lowry, Heat guard: He gets more aggressive on offense and he looks to shoot a lot more. I think that’s the one thing he does. There isn’t such a thing as a “Playoff Jimmy,” but there is such a thing as a “Playoff Jimmy” in the sense of his aggressiveness and assertiveness. He takes a lot more shots; he takes a lot more threes. He’s a little bit more focused. He changes his thought process a lot. He won’t ever admit it. There is no such thing as “Playoff Jimmy,” but there is a “Playoff Jimmy.” Because he does in emergencies sometimes where he goes and scores. But he usually saves that type of stuff for the playoffs.