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Dwyane Wade calls out Jimmy Butler’s disappointing playoff performance against Timberwolves
Dwyane Wade calls out Jimmy Butler’s disappointing playoff performance against Timberwolves
Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry was limited to just 13 minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves after suffering a hamstring strain in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.
He ultimately did not play another second, as the Warriors were eliminated in five games. They couldn’t generate enough offense, in part due to Jimmy Butler‘s lack of punch offensively; he flat-out disappeared, albeit dealing with a pelvic contusion suffered against the Houston Rockets in the first round.
On a recent podcast appearance, Butler’s friend and former teammate Dwyane Wade called out Butler’s passive playoff series:
“I didn’t like the way he just approached the game,” Wade said. “I know Jimmy is a pass-first guy. I know he’s about getting his teammates the ball and wanting to see them shine. … This ain’t working. You gotta go. He wouldn’t look at the basket. And I’ve seen this before. I’ve seen it in a Heat jersey. And so, in a sense, when Pat [Riley] come out, Pat say, ‘We ain’t wanna give you the extension,’ it’s not always because of injuries. Sometimes it’s, ‘I need to see what you gonna do in every moment, not just in one moment.’
“We saw Jimmy in the bubble. He was a dog. I saw Jimmy in another Finals too against the Denver Nuggets, and he did the exact same thing he did the other night: He did not look at the basket. I don’t wanna see that. Jimmy Butler is too good of a basketball player to not have his imprint on the game. And, sorry sir, when it’s time for you to take over, you just have to.
“Even if you can’t do it from a standpoint of you ain’t making no shots, I don’t care. Shoot. It’s bad offense if you’re not shooting. To get too close in that paint and not putting that ball up to that basket, that’s bad offense when your team needs you to do it.”
For the series, Butler, who turns 36-years-old in September, averaged 20.2 points on 43.0/30.0/75.0 shooting splits, including just 15.5 points in the series’ final two games. His best game in the series was in Game 3, though Golden State could not overcome Anthony Edwards‘ 28-point second-half barrage, losing 102-97.
We’ve seen what Butler’s been capable of on the biggest stage when he’s healthy. But Butler hasn’t consistently been explosive in each of the last two regular seasons while also suffering two serious lower-body injuries (sprained MCL, pelvic contusion) over that span. He’s not getting any younger, and Butler’s physical nature doesn’t appear to be aging gracefully as he enters the twilight of his career.
Dating back to Wade’s playing days in Chicago, he’s had a strong relationship with Butler. After all, he was a huge reason why Butler arrived with the Heat in 2019, where he played five-and-a-half seasons. Was Wade right to call out his former teammate? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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