Jimmy Butler spoke honestly about his famous playoff moniker and what those expectations would do to him.
The Golden State Warriors were defeated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the Playoffs Series. After a great game one, last night’s outing was much more difficult for them.
The star of the Game 1 show was Jimmy Butler. When Stephen Curry was injured, the focus shifted to Jimmy Butler to carry the team.
Butler stepped up to deliver a great performance of 20 points in Game 1. This was an outing that justified Butler’s $121 million price tag.
Players like Buddy Hield are confident in the “playoff” Jimmy Butler. But how does Jimmy feel about his long-term nickname?
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Jimmy Butler spoke about how fans hope he will transform into “Playoff Jimmy” after Game 2.
Simply put, Butler doesn’t see it as a burden, so he doesn’t feel pressure. He wants to play the right way and do what his team needs.
“I have no burden or expectations. I play basketball the right way. If someone comes in saying anything that’s supposed to be a 40 or 43, I can do that.”
“But I love making sure my peers are comfortable, handing them the ball to them and taking the right shots at the right time. But we’ll talk about it. Who knows if that’s what you need?”
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Without Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors would lean on Jimmy Butler for success.
And who is better to put a team on his back than Jimmy Butler? This is a player who has shown over and over that he was built for a big moment.
His time in the heat proved he could be a leader when he carried a much worse roster than the Warriors team that played in multiple NBA Finals.
If anything, playing without Stephen Curry will allow Butler to regain his form as a superstar-level player in the playoffs.