The Miami Heat had a shot at becoming the greatest No. 8 seed in NBA history, but that might no longer be the case.
It’s hard to remember a team with — all due respect — so little talent making it this far into the playoffs, featuring a total of nine undrafted players, and lacking their second-leading scorer since Game 1 of the first round.
That’s why Jimmy Butler’s playoff run had been so memorable and remarkable, as he had almost single-handedly carried the offensive load to keep his team going.
Will Jimmy Butler bounce back in Game 7?
"Jimmy has to be aggressive right off the tip, if his shot is way off it might be a tough game for him." — @HardawaySr pic.twitter.com/VcN3VrOAZU
— The Carton Show (@TheCartonShow) May 29, 2023
With that in mind, Heat legend Tim Hardaway believes Jimmy needs to shake things up if the Heat want to stand a chance to finish the job in Game 7.
The retired NBA guard pointed out that Robert Williams III has done an outstanding job of keeping him away from the rim, citing that Butler needs to keep the Celtics’ defense guessing, as opposed to constantly pump-faking every time he stops his dribble.
Hardaway believes that Butler should be more aggressive when driving to the rim and going up right away, as he’s hesitating and giving the ball up way too often.
Butler has been the second-best player in the playoffs behind only Nikola Jokic, but he’s coming off a brutal shooting night in what should’ve been a close-out home game for the Heat.
Tonight’s Game 7 will be a legacy-defining game for the Heat forward, and he could either go down as a playoff riser or a choker depending on how it all goes down.
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