Jimmy Butler was telling the world the Miami Heat were going to win the championship this season even after a 2-5 start. The Heat never really found their rhythm during the regular season, and had to win an elimination game in the play-in tournament just to qualify for the NBA Playoffs as a No. 8 seed. Somehow, the Heat have transformed into a monster this postseason with Butler as their leader, and now they’re only one win away from sweeping the Boston Celtics and advancing to the NBA Finals.
The Heat beat the Celtics, 128-102, on Sunday in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals to take a 3-0 series lead. Butler finished with a modest (by his playoff standards) line of 16 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, but he again controlled the game at both ends and captained another Miami upset.
Butler has been talking trash to the Celtics all series, and it continued in Game 3 with a hilarious callback to Game 1. After another Heat bucket to keep the rout coming, Butler emphatically called timeout for the Celtics. Watch the video here.
You may remember that Boston big man Al Horford called timeout for the Heat after he hit a big shot in Game 1. Only problem: Horford pulled that move in the second quarter, and Miami went on to win the game. Now the Celtics’ season could be over in embarrassing fashion if they drop Game 4 to the Heat on Tuesday.
Butler has been the best player on the floor again during this season, and he has a case of being the best player in the playoffs so far this year alongside Nikola Jokic. It’s not enough for Butler just to dominate Boston — he has to talk trash, too. His timeout gesture is another iconic moment for his playoff lore.
Boston just can’t answer their Jimmy Butler problem. The Celtics’ season is about to be over because of it.
