Sometimes, Jimmy Butler mirrors Kevin Durant’s high-scoring efficiency. Sometimes, Butler emulates LeBron James’ ability to elevate his teammates. Sometimes, Butler resembles Giannis Antetokounmpo’s skills with empowering his teammates. Sometimes, Butler chews his teammates out like the late Kobe Bryant often did. Sometimes, Butler lets his game do the talking like Kawhi Leonard does.
It's hard to know exactly where to rank Butler among the NBA’s current players. Butler has carved out his “Playoff Jimmy” persona for clutch performances during the 2020 NBA Finals and the Heat’s latest post-season run. Yet, the Heat enter Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday (8:30 pm ET, ABC) with Butler averaging 17.9 points on 39.4% shooting through Games 1 and 2. Butler has cemented six All-Star appearances, but has yet to win an NBA title.
As Butler has shown during his past four seasons with the Miami Heat, however, he should neither be judged by numbers or accolades alone. Though he might not have the same resume and skillset as the star players mentioned above, Butler has embodied the qualities that NBA teams want their stars to have.
Need someone to take over a game? Butler has done it. He logged two triple doubles against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 and Game 5 of the 2020 NBA Finals. He dropped 47 points against the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals to force a Game 7. He scored a franchise-record 56 points against the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in Game 4 of their first-round playoffs. Overall, Butler set a franchise record for most 40-point playoff games (eight).
Need someone to make a big shot? Butler is your guy. In last year’s Game 6 against Boston, he made half of his 3s (4-for-8) and all of his free throws (11). In this year’s Game 5 against Milwaukee, he made a layup just after catching a half-court inbounds pass and just before falling down to force overtime. In this year’s Game 2 against Boston, he made two consecutive shots that broke the tie before Miami ultimately pulled away. Overall, Butler fared fourth among playoff players for most fourth-quarter points per game (7.9).
Need someone to make a defensive stop? Butler has that covered, too. Throughout these playoffs, Butler has held top opponents to inefficient shooting numbers, including Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton (6-for-16), New York’s Julius Randle (3-for-14), Boston’s Jayson Tatum (15-for-35), Boston’s Jaylen Brown (5-for-24) and Denver’s Jamal Murray (3-for-14). In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston, Butler tied the Heat’s franchise record for second-most steals in a game (six). In Game 2 of the NBA Finals against Denver, Butler contested Murray’s potential game-tying 3. Overall, Butler has tied for third among Miami’s post-season leaders in total steals (118).
Need someone to show value beyond scoring? Butler has also taken care of that. Butler doesn’t fret over missed shots, but he doesn’t become ball-dominant, either. He doesn’t operate as the team’s primary playmaker, but Butler has still ranked 19th in the playoffs for most assists per game (5.9). He plays through injuries, but never highlights them. He competes through exhaustion, but he maintains a high level of endurance because of his disciplined training. He gets on teammates if they’re not competing to his level, but he always praises them for their success and encourages them through their struggles.
Not everything has gone Butler’s way. Don’t blame him on his previous stops, though. Butler took issue with certain teammates work habits in Chicago (2011-17), Minnesota (2017-18) and Philadelphia (2018-19). He hardly has such an issue with Miami because the franchise holds all players accountable for their preparation and results.
All NBA front offices and coaches should prefer having to manage a players’ competitive drive than asking them for more. Because Butler is in that environment, he doesn’t have to worry about the organizational dysfunction that has affected other star players. Yet, Butler has also shown he has a different cloth than even the league’s elite.
He hasn’t disappeared in key playoff games as James Harden and Joel Embiid have. He has shown a more consistent killer instinct than what Tatum has shown. He has stayed much more durable than Leonard’s body has allowed him.
Where does that leave Butler among the NBA’s top players? No doubt, Butler will rise the ranks if he adds another chapter to his “Playoff Jimmy” legend. Same thing if Butler hoists his first Larry O’Brien trophy.
As he has shown during his Heat tenure, however, Butler’s greatness does not just depend on how well his numbers compare to his contemporaries. It also hinges on how well Butler embodies all the qualities required of an NBA star.
Mark Medina is a veteran NBA reporter who will be contributing to Aaron Torres Online and Aaron Torres Media throughout the NBA playoffs - follow him on Twitter and on Instagram.
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