Jimmy Butler did not even want to lay a finger on the Eastern Conference championship trophy after the Miami Heat took down the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of what turned out to be an epic ECF series. Bam Adebayo tried to hand the trophy over to Butler during the post-game ceremonies, but the latter blatantly refused to accept it from his Heat teammate.

Butler has now shed light on this incident, and he has made it abundantly clear that he meant no disrespect for Adebayo. All it was was Jimmy knowing that the job isn't finished:

ā€œThat's how I view it,ā€ Butler said. ā€œā€¦ It wasn't disrespectful because I love Bam. I'm very grateful to be able to win the Eastern Conference, but I've done that before. I have. I wanna win an NBA championship. That's the reason why they put this squad together. I don't play for the Eastern Conference Finals MVP. I won't play for the Finals MVP. I could care less. I play for Mr. O'Brien.ā€

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
celtics heat prediction

Nathanial Duffett Ā·

Heat fans accuse Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla of calling a Code Red against heat

Steve Silverman Ā·

NBA PLayoffs Panic Meter with Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, and Paolo Banchero

Brett Siegel Ā·

As Jimmy Butler said, he's been there and done that before. He led the Miami Heat to the 2020 Eastern Conference title in the bubble only to fall to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.

At this point, Butler wants to change his fate. He knows that the Heat head to the Finals as the underdogs against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, but in truth, Jimmy could not care any less. He's set his eye on the prize and you can be sure he will do everything he can to get it done this time.