One of the main reasons for the NBA playoffs being as entertaining as they were last season was the emergence of the Miami Heat, who were never more resilient than with star forward Jimmy Butler leading the way.
The Heat went from a team that lost a game in the Play-in Tournament and barely making it into the NBA playoffs, only to cook the competition in the Eastern Conference to make it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2020 in the NBA bubble.
Miami was a team possessed with two undrafted players in the starting lineup, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus, after losing Tyler Herro in the first round of the postseason to a hand injury.
It didn’t matter what the Heat were dealing with; Erik Spoelstra’s squad was determined to go the distance, even if it meant eventually falling to the Denver Nuggets in the Finals in five games.
With the Heat now hoping to land superstar Damian Lillard in a trade, Butler is as confident as ever that Miami will win it all next season, according to South China Morning Post, via Legion Hoops.
Jimmy Butler:
“I am going to pick the Heat to win the championship in 2024.”
(via @SCMPNews) pic.twitter.com/uxmUpY7y2t
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 25, 2023
Even if the Heat don’t get Lillard this summer, Butler’s stance will almost certainly stay the same, as he’s as confident as ever in his skills and the team around him in Miami.
However, a lot will lean on whether the team can make the trade for the Portland Trail Blazers superstar, as he would instantly make the Heat the favorite or at least near the top of the Eastern Conference elite.
NEXT:
Heat Insider Shares A Damian Lillard Package That Can Keep Star In Miami
