As the NBA season has concluded and the 2020 World Champions are the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James has won his 4th ring and 4th NBA Finals MVP in year 17 which is a tremendous feat. Although impressive, we’re still missing something from this series, something that will decide the outcome of the East in the next couple of years.
Many are caught in the moment of what will be going on behind those doors. As there will be parties, parades, people enjoying themselves and relaxing. There is one individual that is hungry to get back to the Finals and this time win… Jimmy Butler.
We have forgotten about this one individual that went toe to toe with the King himself. He has always been a forgotten man throughout his career, but this is what makes Jimmy Butler who he is and why we have come to love and respect him.
I assume you already have heard his backstory. Jimmy Butler was homeless at the age of 13, his mother kicked him out because she didn’t like his looks, but that didn’t derail Jimmy Butler from fighting. He didn’t get any D1 Offers and played JUCO. Butler even faxed his offer for Marquette from McDonalds. It really is an amazing story, but what I find amazing is that even though the odds were stacked against him he was able to persevere and be where he is today. This NBA Finals has helped cement that he not only belongs in the NBA, but he is a baller and a top ten player.
Many didn’t think he had in him to carry a franchise, many had forgotten about his game as it doesn’t draw as much attention behind the likes of Kawhi Leonard or Paul George, but he made it to the NBA Finals to go toe to toe against LeBron and even out-dueled him in the series.
In a must win Game 3 he had a 40pt triple double, Game 5 he had a 35pt triple double, while playing 47mins. This man did everything he could to help his team get a victory. He was the only option the Heat had and the reason the were able to win 2 games. Playing 93.8% of the minutes in the Finals only behind Kobe he truly just wanted to win. In every press conference he was talking about his team not himself. Even in Game 6 while they were down 38 he still played his heart out. He could have folded but that just isn’t who Butler is. What I have come to realize from Jimmy Butler was that “When the lights shine the brightest, he is capable of putting his team behind his back and still be composed.”
As the Heat have lost in the Finals against LeBron (some would consider him the GOAT), The Heat finally have found their leader in Jimmy Butler and this time he has a crew that contribute to his game. As Jimmy Butler said “We will be back”, I assume that the Heat will be back in the Finals, but not as the team that lost, but the team that beats the West in the Finals.
