NBA

Heat G Jimmy Butler: ‘We’re still going to win the championship.’

By
James Foglio
Author photo
James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

All posts by James Foglio
Sports Editor

Updated22 hours ago on April 29, 2024

Disclosure
We independently review everything we recommend based on our strict editorial guidelines. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn More
Heat guard Jimmy Butler believes defense is holding team back

Miami Heat guard Jimmy Butler remains confident in his team’s ability to return to the NBA Finals this season and win the championship. However, seven games into the 2022-23 season, the Heat are 2-5.

“We’re still going to win the championship, and I don’t care what nobody says,” Butler told Sam Amick of The Athletic during an interview.

According to some NBA betting sites, the Heat now have the 11th-best odds to win the championship in 2023. A few sportsbooks have dropped Miami out of the top 10.

“Count us out,” continued Butler. “We’re going to win the fu—ing championship. I’m telling you. I don’t give a damn that we started 2-5.”

Through seven games this season, Butler is averaging 21.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.7 steals.

Miami could still win the championship. The league is back to its standard 82-game season. Last season, the Heat lost in seven games against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Heat guard Jimmy Butler believes his team will win the championship this season

Although they fell short during the 2022 NBA Playoffs, the Heat finished at the top of their conference with a 53-29 (.646) record.

It was the first time Miami earned at least 50 wins in a season since LeBron James played for the team. Of course, Tyler Herro won Sixth Man of the Year as well.

When Amick asked Butler how he feels to be playing in his 13th season, the six-time All-Star responded, “I feel great. I feel like I can still do it. Yeah, I think I did a little bit of it tonight.

I don’t want to have to do it, because we’ve got such a young, talented team, and I bank on my guys to hold me down because the marathon is more important, not the sprint. The last couple of games, I’ve done a lot more than I have been.”

Nonetheless, the Heat had a quiet offseason. In June, P.J. Tucker declined his player option with Miami and then inked a three-year, $30 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Twenty-year veteran Udonis Haslem re-signed with the Heat on a one-year, $2.91 million contract.

Then, Dewayne Dedmon signed a two-year, $9.02 million contract extension with the team. Plus, Victor Oladipo re-signed on a two-year, $18.2 million deal.

If the Heat come up short in the playoffs this season, fans will be asking why G.M. Andy Elisburg didn’t trade for Donovan Mitchell, Jae Crowder, or Boban Bogdanovic during the offseason. A lot of players were available.

But an in-season trade could be in the works. The NBA trade deadline this season is Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. ET.

Content You May Like