NBA Fans Agree Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler Is Playing The Best Of Anyone In Playoffs Right Now
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When Bleacher Report asked fans on social media who the best player in the playoffs so far, the finalists were Jimmy Butler, Steph Curry, Devin Booker and Nikola Jokic.
Was this really a debate? Apparently, not to many. Butler was clearly the winner on the Twitter poll because the majority believed Butler belongs at the top of the list.
Butler is averaging a league-leading 35.5 points in six games. It’s no secret he elevates come playoff time, but has turned it up another notch this year. He single-handedly willed the Heat over the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, which featured a franchise-record 56 points in Game 4 to put the series out of reach. Butler also set the tone in the Game 1 victory against the New York Knicks with a team-leading 25 points.
He is trending toward playing Saturday in Game 3 after missing Game 2 because of an ankle injury. Many are anticipating another big performance.
While Curry, Jokic and Booker have been good, they have more star power behind them. Curry has Klay Thompson while Jokic (Jamal Murray) and Booker (Kevin Durant) have stronger secondary options. Their complementary players are all averaging at least 22 points.
Butler is doing it without Tyler Herro or Victor Oladipo, who are both injured, while his No. 2 scorer Bam Adebayo has underperformed in the postseason.
The expectations for the Heat drastically changed from the beginning of the postseason. Originally thought of as a first-round sweep, the Heat now are legitimate threats to make the Finals.
Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jayden.armant@bison.howard.edu or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.
