Jimmy Butler Seemed to Boldly Shrug Off Holding Eastern Conference Trophy
Slowly but surely, Heat forward Jimmy Butler has built an eye-popping resume this postseason. In the first round against the Bucks, he averaged an astounding 37.6 points per game. He posted 25-7-6 averages in both the conference semifinals and conference finals and helped Miami become the second No. 8 seed ever to reach the NBA Finals.
However, in true Butler fashion, the six-time All-Star appears to be doing nothing remotely resembling resting on his laurels.
As the Heat celebrated their sixth conference championship in the past 13 years Monday night after beating the Celtics in Game 7, Miami center Bam Adebayo was shown offering Butler the Bob Cousy Trophy—awarded to the winners of the Eastern Conference—on TNT’s broadcast. Butler shook his head and appeared to tell Adebayo, “I’ll hold the next one.”
Butler has had a largely successful playoff career with the Bulls, Timberwolves, 76ers and Heat, but the sport's biggest prize has eluded him. His closest call came in 2020, when his 26.2 points per game led Miami in its six-game Finals loss to the Lakers.
With another masterful Eastern Conference postseason in the rearview mirror in 2023, Butler will attempt to topple the formidable Nuggets beginning with Game 1 Thursday evening in Denver.
