NBA Twitter Unloads on Grant Williams After Dispute with Jimmy Butler

The Miami Heat had a 15-point swing after Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams got into it with Jimmy Butler.

The Miami Heat closed Game 2 of the Eastern conference finals on a 24-9 run against the Boston Celtics.

Heat fans can thank Celtics forward Grant Williams for that. Williams got into an argument with Heat superstar Jimmy Butler. That probably wasn’t a great idea, as Butler and the Heat took over in the fourth quarter after the altercation.

Heat went on a 24-9 run after this Jimmy-Grant Williams incident

Life comes at you fast 😅 pic.twitter.com/O6UQHVmxS7

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 20, 2023

After the game Butler said, “There’s no way they thought that was the answer!”

"There's no way they thought that was the answer!"

— Jimmy 😳 pic.twitter.com/VEYRdVSZdl

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 20, 2023

And just like that, Twitter responded with memes poking fun at Williams.

How Jimmy Butler was cooking tonight.. pic.twitter.com/ZquHkWhMNy

— Van (@vanman_1000) May 20, 2023

Dillon brooks looking at grant Williams right now pic.twitter.com/9ps8lP7kLS

— John (@iam_johnw) May 20, 2023

Jimmy Butler looking at Grant Williams trying to guard him pic.twitter.com/V3SUMkTrS5

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) May 20, 2023

Butler actually expressed his respect for Williams in the postgame interview, saying he enjoyed the competition and respected Williams’ role in Boston.

“That’s just competition at its finest,” Butler said. “He hit a big shot and started talking to me. I like that, I’m all for it. It makes me key in a lot more and pushes that will I have to win a lot more. It makes me smile. I know I’m a decent player if you want to talk to me out of everyone you can talk to. It’s just competition. I do respect him though, he’s a big part of what they’re trying to do.”

Still, social media continued to troll.

The Boston Celtics crowd watching Grant Williams talk to Jimmy Butler: pic.twitter.com/ekyuqLbEOC

— Stanley Ching (程耀康) (@StanleyChingArt) May 20, 2023

Grant Williams trying to guard Jimmy Butler pic.twitter.com/HyLDsrndd7

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) May 20, 2023

grant williams saw jimmy do this to jrue holiday an entire series and said i want me some of that pic.twitter.com/6DvR5sNA70

— Dru (@dru_star) May 20, 2023

Some even suggested Williams was a scapegoat for Jaylen Brown’s performance. Brown was 7 of 23 from the field for just 16 points.

Jaylen Brown seeing Grant Williams getting slander instead of him despite missing 16 shots and being a game worst -24pic.twitter.com/A7PBzR6Uz6

— Bojack Fan Account (@Cam_Unstoppable) May 20, 2023

The Celtics now need to find their own source of motivation down 0-2 in the series. They play in Miami Sunday night against a Heat team that is undefeated at home this postseason.

Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.