MIAMI — Jimmy Butler is different. Some players hit beaches over All-Star break; Butler went to Argentina to watch tennis and learn about coffee.
Some players rest with one day off between games; Butler spent 10 hours flying round-trip to be at Pau Gasol’s Los Angeles Lakers jersey retirement one night and back in Miami for shootaround the next morning.
Some Miami teammates jumped around the locker room to celebrate after eliminating top-seeded Milwaukee; Butler simply watched while sipping a drink.
He does things his way, which is not a bad thing – and the results prove it. Butler has led Miami to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the third time in his four seasons with the Heat; this year, a matchup with the New York Knicks awaits, starting Sunday.
“He puts his soul into competing,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “When you put that much physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy into that will to win, that is so unique. You have to be able to recharge your batteries to gear up and do that over and over and over again. If you don’t, you’ll burn out. And I think him being able to get away and clear his headspace has been one of the most productive things for him.”
A championship is what lured Butler to Miami, and it’s all that matters to him now. A revival of the Heat-Knicks playoff rivalry that was born a generation ago? He doesn’t care.
The outside world´s opinions or predictions? He immediately dismisses them. Facing his former coach Tom Thibodeau in this series? He thinks that’s irrelevant.
“I know what he’s about. He knows what we’re about,” Thibodeau, the Knicks coach who had Butler on his teams in Chicago and Minnesota, said Friday. “So, let’s go.”
It doesn’t take long to figure out what Butler is about. He plays hard, demands others do the same and makes it worthwhile.
“Jimmy´s just a talented player,” guard Kyle Lowry said. “I think Jimmy goes out there and, every assignment that the other team gives him, he tries to take that personally. … I´m rolling with Jimmy at all times.”
Added center Bam Adebayo: “I’m just thankful that he’s on my team.”
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