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“Nobody Cares”: Heat Star Jimmy Butler Takes a Subtle Jab at Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Ahead of the 2023 NBA Finals

Published 05/31/2023, 11:54 PM EDT

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An emphatic Game 7 win might still be running in the minds of the Miami Heat fans. However, the Heat stars didn’t have the luxury to wallow in their glory. In fact, Jimmy Butler didn’t seem to have any enthusiasm whatsoever. His stone-faced demeanor suggested there was only one thing on his mind – winning the NBA finals. But there could be a huge hiccup for the Vice City in regard to their leading star’. While the worries pile on, Butler dismissed all propaganda relating to his participation in the Finals. In doing so, he might have dragged his former rival in the mud.

Denver will host Game 1 of the NBA finals tomorrow. Ahead of the finale, Butler opened up about playing through an injury that’s been bothering the veteran long before the ECF.

Jimmy Butler will not give any excuses

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The Game 7 battle between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat was a lob-sided affair, a show of Miami’s true strength. However, they had an advantage from the opening quarter. Celtics’ ace Jayson Tatum injured his ankle very early into the contest. As the injury worsened, Tatum couldn’t find a consistent rhythm.

“It swelled up and it was just frustrating that I was kind of like a shell of myself. It was tough to move. It was just frustrating, especially that [expletive] happened on the first play.” said the 25-year-old All-NBA forward about his injury according to Boston.com.

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But it wasn’t just him who waded through an injury. Shockingly, Jimmy Butler has been hobbled since the series against the New York Knicks. The six-time All-Star even had to miss a game, which famously led to him smiling and nodding after the Heat’s loss. It turns out the ailment is yet to recover completely. Yet, the veteran doesn’t seem fazed.

“Nobody cares. You don’t, either. I’m still expected to do my job at a high level if I take the floor, which I will. We’re going to be okay. We’re going to get the job done, bum ankle or not.”  Butler said regarding his ankle injury.

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The reigning ECF MVP seemingly cares about only one thing – getting the job done against the Denver Nuggets. Both sides stand on equal footing, whether in talent or motivation. The Heat want to make up for the time they lost in 2020. On the other hand, Nikola Jokic and Co. want to stamp themselves as perennial championship threats.

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Written by:

Anuj Talwalkar

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Anuj Talwalkar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Having composed close to 2000 articles, he aspires to manage his own team one day and is pursuing a top-tier college-level management program specializing in sports. Anuj's love for basketball blossomed after he started following the NBA a few years ago, and he decided to merge his writing skills with his understanding of this thrilling game.
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Edited by:

Aayush Kapoor