The Miami Heat have tied the series at one apiece as they beat Denver in Game 2 of the Finals. After a tough loss in Game 1, Miami fought back with a close win. The Heat have taken the Nuggets’ home-court advantage, as the series will continue in Miami.
Game 2 was a battle fought between the two teams, as Miami overcame a 15-point deficit, which was followed by Denver’s late response. Jimmy Butler wasn’t the only player who shined, as the team’s overall effort stood out in Game 2.
Since the past few games, Butler hasn’t been as scoring as he was early into the postseason. In fact, In his first nine games of the playoffs, Butler averaged 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Whereas in his last nine games, Jimmy put up 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. It’s pretty clear that the so-called role players have stepped up big time. Still, there are questions about Butler’s low-scoring nights.
Is Jimmy Butler still in touch with his father?
Recently, Skip Bayless commented on Butler’s low scoring, saying that Jimmy might be a little distracted. “We haven’t seen Playoff Jimmy now for 7 straight playoff games. He is going through an issue with his father who is not well at the moment, god bless him, and god bless Jimmy because I think he might be a little distracted, if not a little drained, by going through that,” said Skip.
“We haven’t seen Playoff Jimmy [Butler] now for 7 straight games. He is going through an issue with his father who is not well… I think he might be a little distracted, if not a little drained, by going through that.”
—Skip Bayless
(via @undisputed)pic.twitter.com/3XHG0KCZK6
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 5, 2023
This comment did come out as a surprise as there hadn’t been any news about Butler’s father not being well at the moment. Details of Butler’s biological father haven’t been made public, though Jimmy continues to be in touch with him. His father had left his family when Butler was just a mere child. Regardless of the situation, Skip’s claim had no source or any factual information attached to it.
One can say that Butler’s low-scoring stint has nothing to do with any personal issues, as the remaining roster seems to have improved their performance throughout the postseason. In the last two games, Butler has scored a combined 34 points.
Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin have continued to contribute like primary scorers alongside Bam Adebayo, as they edged out in Game 2. The Heat will host the Nuggets for the next two games, having home-court advantage. It will be interesting to see whether the Nuggets can win at least one road game, hoping to come back home with a tied series.
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