Underdog or not, Jimmy Butler confident in the Miami Heat's chances in Orlando
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler came from a situation he was expected to compete for an NBA championship.
Last year he was supposedly the piece that could take the Philadelphia 76ers to the next level. The Sixers fell a Kawhi Leonard basket shy of perhaps making a run at the Finals.
A year later, Butler is in a more care-free situation with the Heat. There is less expectation, less scrutiny. Still, Butler is approaching it with the same mentality. Even though the Heat can consider themselves overachievers after already securing a playoff spot, the title aspirations remain.
"It's going to be tough," Butler said. "I'm not going to lie to you. I think the best thing about it is everybody has to have that same mental edge. Everybody has the same mental disadvantage. I think we handle this well. People like to say we have a group of underdogs. Say what you will but we have a group of really good pros that love to hoop, love to compete. We're going to go out there and give it our all. Home, away, or neutral here at Disney, I think you can count on the Miami Heat bringing it."
Butler has the Heat at 41-24 entering the NBA's restart to the season in Orlando. He has been an ideal teammate, shedding the selfish label he garnered with the Sixers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls. The stories of profanity-laced practice tirades are now replaced with feel-good articles about Butler buying teammates portable basketball hoops so they could practice during the coronavirus pandemic.
Indeed, the Butler narrative has changed.
"Everybody has this perception of Jimmy in other places that he's been," center Meyers Leonard said. "I've yet to experience anything that those rumors suggest: great teammate, great person and makes others better. That's what I'm constantly inspired by ... He's at another level. That's just the facts."
Leonard and Butler were acquired by Miami on the same day last summer. Leonard thought he would make a good impression by showing up at 6:30 a.m., on his first day at the practice facility. Butler was already there, drenched in sweat. He then set the tone during training camp with 3 a.m., workouts.
It was no surprise Butler received a noise complaint at the team hotel within a week of his stay in Orlando. When security knocked on his door, they realized the disturbance was caused by Butler dribbling a basketball in the late hours.
"He really wants to help a team win a title and he's willing to do anything," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "One of his greatest qualities is his level of discipline. That is really unique, how he can discipline himself with his work. What time he works out, his nutrition, his consistency every single day ... He is exceptional in that area."
Spoelstra, who has led teams featuring LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, is no stranger to dealing with marquee players. He has given Butler the same control over the team as past stars. Butler has free reign to express himself at all times.
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo were the Heat's two All-Stars this season
"Just make sure my teammates are doing the right thing and doing what they're supposed to be doing," Butler said. "I think Spo has put me in a great position to be able to do that, to be able to be vocal and speak my truth knowing that what I'm saying is for the greater good."
Butler's experience is needed more than ever if the Heat are going to make a deep run in the postseason. The Heat's other All-Star, center Bam Adebayo, has only played in five playoff games. This is the first time for forwards Derrick Jones Jr. and Duncan Robinson and rookies Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn, all key contributors.
"When you go and enter into a circumstance like this and a playoff scenario where there are some uncertainties, you want to have guys like Jimmy Butler leading your organization," Spoelstra said. "Because he's about the right things and his work ethic is something and his discipline is something that everybody follows him in that regard."
Butler has earned that respect by reciprocating it to teammates. It just may be the recipe for the Heat to succeed in Orlando.
"I really, really enjoy being around my guys, being around my teammates, being able to compete with these guys," Butler said. "It's fun to hear them talk about how they did continually work confined in their apartment or in their home [during quarantine]. I have so much respect for these guys."
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