One of the big questions everyone is asking right now is why did Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra bench Jimmy Butler in the closing stages of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals?
His answer? He wanted more speed on the floor.
Speaking to the media following the Heat's 117-106 loss to the Boston Celtics, which was the Celtics first win following the Heat getting out to an early 2-0 lead, Spoelstra noted that he just wanted to move the ball fast in the closing stages of the game. Miami was down by a wide margin with just a few minutes left in the game at that point.
Spoelstra says there wasn’t an injury-related reason Butler was out at the end of the game. He said the Heat were just trying to “get something quick.”
While the fact that Butler was not injured at all must be a reassuring one to Heat fans, the thought of leaving one of your biggest playmakers on the bench at the most vital time is a worrying one. Some on Twitter thought the real reason might be due to Butler's lackluster three point shooting ability which could very well be the case.
Despite that, coach Spo might need to reconsider keeping Jimmy Butler on the bench next time, even with his less than stellar three point shooting. Jimmy Buckets may not be a dead-eye from downtown, but the man has a penchant for making big plays. The Miami Heat will look to rebound against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday in Game Four.
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