With the Heat trailing 98-96 with 18 seconds left of Game 7, forward Jimmy Butler proceeded to miss a go-ahead 3-point shot against Celtics center Al Horford; head coach Erik Spoelstra commented on this moment after the loss. “I love that about Jimmy. That was the right look,” said Spoelstra. Butler finished his performance with 35 points, nine rebounds and one assist in 48 minutes played. Also, the six-time All-Star shot 1-for-4 from downtown.
Spoelstra did what any great head coach would do after a disappointing playoff loss: defend his star player. But does Jimmy Butler need defending after a 35-point performance? Of course not. He averaged 25.6 points, seven rebounds and 3.4 assists versus the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Before the shot attempt, Victor Oladipo was uncovered on the right side, but Oladipo averaged 27.6% shooting from 3-point range in this series.
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Jimmy Butler told reporters after the game: “My thought process was go for the win, which I did. Missed the shot, but I’m taking that shot. My teammates like the shot that I took, so I’m living with it.” It was the right decision. Hindsight is always 20/20. The Heat had home court advantage for Game 7, but the Celtics outscored them 32-17 in the opening quarter.
Erik Spoelstra has no regrets losing
Until late in the fourth quarter, the C’s were in full control. Miami shot 42% from the field and 20% from 3-point range. Boston outrebounded them 51-44 as well. Despite losing the series, Erik Spoelstra is proud of Jimmy Butler for playing through his knee injury. He dealt with inflammation in his right knee in Game 3.
Jimmy Butler on his final shot:
“My thought process was go for the win, which I did. Missed the shot, but I’m taking that shot. My teammates like the shot that I took, so I’m living with it.”
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) May 30, 2022
Not to mention, the Heat had several opportunities to bring the fight to the Celtics. It’s not like either team was outmatched. Though, the Heat failed to win back-to-back games against them. These teams were identical across the stat sheet. Now, Boston is 6-0 in the 2022 NBA Playoffs following a loss.
Kendrick Perkins thinks Jimmy Butler should have won Eastern Conference Finals MVP
On ESPN’s First Take, Kendrick Perkins was asked if he believed Butler should have won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award. The retired Celtics star wasted no time answering the question. He loves Boston, but he also believes Butler did more to keep Miami in the series.
“I do, I do, and one could make the case that he was actually the best player in this series to be honest with you. When you look at what he did and how he did it, you look at his Game 1 performance, along with Game 6 and Game 7 — walking into the Garden in Game 6 — that performance alone deserves a hell of a nod.”
Additionally, Butler played through a knee injury. Then again, Jayson Tatum played with a neck injury he sustained during the fourth quarter of Game 3, too. Perhaps injuries are not the best argument. In the Eastern Conference Finals, Tatum averaged 25 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. Both players deserved to win the award. Other NBA news, betting content and Erik Spoelstra interviews are on the main page.
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