Even though the Miami Heat fell short of expectations during the regular season, Jimmy Butler feels confident heading into the playoffs.
The veteran said he is unconcerned that “nobody” is predicting the Heat to win the championship this year because the same thing was said about them before their journey to the Eastern Conference Finals last year.
“Last year, nobody predicted us. Honestly, who gives a crap? No one is going to draught us this year. Still don’t give a rat’s behind.”
Despite the team’s last magical postseason runs, Heat supporters are skeptical about its chances in the 2023 playoffs. The team’s inconsistency throughout the regular season significantly affected its placement in the elimination bracket’s first round, the play-in round.
Although a potential playoff series is still a way off, Miami is in a solid position to make it if it can surpass the play-in round. The Heat will get two shots at one game to try and win it. They will be the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs if they beat the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
Many Heat supporters believe the 2022-23 squad will have a similar season to the 2020-21 squad, which struggled throughout the regular season and was eliminated in the 1st round of the playoffs. Even if that turns out to be the case, the Heat are hoping for a run similar to the ones they had in 2020 and 2022.
Fans should take heart from Butler’s assurance, but they have learned to expect nothing less. It’s a sure bet that he’ll bring his A-game to the postseason, just as he does every year when the spotlight shines brightest.
The six-time All-Star was a scoring machine in the 2017 playoffs, averaging 27.4 points per game in 17 contests. Only time will tell if he can achieve the same level of success again.
No matter how the 2022-23 regular season went for the Miami Heat, the team still boasts a squad similar to the one that reached the Eastern Conference Finals the year before.