![]() Smart was equally as impressive, holding Butler to 2-of-4 with one turnover on 30 possessions.īut this is the playoffs. On 34 possessions, Butler managed just 2-of-7 from the floor against JB. Just as he did with Harden, Brown’s size and athleticism was able to offset some of Butler’s bully ball technique. On the other, he’ll do everything he can to get Boston’s eight-man rotation into foul trouble by halftime.īutler played in just two games against the Celtics this season so it’s admittedly a small sample size, but you can expect two of Boston’s most stout defenders, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, to defend him. On one hand, the fact that Butler isn’t much of a perimeter threat - 35% on just 1.6 attempts in the regular season - shrinks the area of his effectiveness. After dealing with Trae Young and Dejounte Murray in Round 1 and handling James Harden in Round 2, Butler poses a similar threat to the Celtics defense: can they contain him in the mid-range without fouling and letting him get to the restricted area? Jimmy Butler ball handler in the pick-and-roll 2022-2023įor the Celtics, they’re used to this grift. ![]() Combine that lineup change that also included the insertion of Kevin Love at the tip with Tyler Herro fracturing his shooting hand at the start of the postseason, and you get Jimmy Butler as a do-it-all veteran with more responsibilities as a ball handler heading into the Eastern Conference Finals. Midway through the regular season, head coach Erik Spoelstra replaced Kyle Lowry in the starting lineup in favor of Gabe Vincent, a combo guard and willing three-point shooter. To have any chance against the Celtics, Jimmy Buckets might also need to be Jimmy Dimes. Jimmy Butler 2022-2023 shot distribution NBA StatsĪn ankle sprain in Game 1 against the Knicks slowed him down for the rest of the second round and he played more playmaker to eliminate New York in Games 4, 5, and 6, he tallied 23 assists and just four turnovers. He’s ultra-efficient and more so, extremely clutch (see: 56 points in Game 5 against the Bucks followed by 42 in the close out game including every big bucket down the stretch). He averaged a hair under 23 points a game on almost 14 shots a game in the regular season, hitting 53.9% and getting to the line nearly nine times a game. ![]() He’s deliberate and intentional with an innate ability to get in and around the paint and get his shot off. However, there’s an intensity and level of focus that Boston will have to match.īutler’s game isn’t particularly shifty or propositional. He’s not exactly the player that LeBron is even at this advanced age. ![]() This will be his third conference finals in his four years in South Beach - all against the Celtics. With LeBron James leaving for the west coast and the other side of this year’s bracket, Butler has assumed the bully role of the East. the Sixers belonged to Al Horford and his defense on Joel Embiid, the Eastern Conference Finals matchup to look out for could be between Butler and Boston’s perimeter defense. For a Celtics team that has dealt with malaise and haphazard play throughout the year, they’ll need to be sharp from the jump to beat the Heat and that starts with dealing with Jimmy Butler. They’ve peaked at the right time like they always seemingly do in the playoffs. On paper, Miami comes into the ECF as the #8 seed, but this run might be the epitome of Heat culture. ![]() There may not be a more fitting and formidable foe for Boston than these Heat. ![]()
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