LeBron James had no other choice but to tip his hat to Jimmy Butler after the Miami Heat superstar had one of the best performances of his career in their Game 3 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Butler clearly outplayed James on Sunday and managed to notch his first playoff triple-double over the Lakers.

“Love it,” LeBron James said on playing against Jimmy Butler after his epic game, per Marc J. Spears ESPN. “One of the best competitors we have in our game.”

Article Continues Below
More Los Angeles Lakers News
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts during the second half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena.
Lakers’ Luka Doncic seen putting in offseason work in the gymRexwell Villas ·
Kobe Bryant Nike Air Force 1 "Triple White", Kobe Bryant, Nike Air Force 1
Kobe Bryant Nike Air Force 1 ‘Triple White’ release detailsDominik Zawartko ·
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against the Denver Nuggets during the second half in game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena.
Lakers’ LeBron James reacts to Jamie Foxx’s big BET Awards nightJosh Davis ·
Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) moves in for the dunk against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
LeBron James puts ‘no bag’ critics on blastZachary Draves ·
Byron Scott during the Jerry Colangelo Golf Classic on September 13, 2024.
Former Laker Byron Scott reveals Kobe Bryant’s ‘most gangster s**t’ everMiguel La Torre ·
Coco Gauff of the United States poses with the trophy after winning the women’s singles final against Aryna Sabalenka on day 14 at Roland Garros Stadium.
LeBron James erupts with huge reaction to Coco Gauff’s French Open winLorenzo J Reyna ·

Butler ended the evening with 40 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, while adding a couple of blocks and steals. He also managed to turn the ball over just five times in 45 minutes, while James (and the rest of his team) was a bit more sloppy the entire game. LeBron accounted for eight of the Lakers' 19 turnovers, which clearly was one of their biggest hurdles in the contest.

Jimmy put his head down and went to work early on Sunday to try to fill in the void of both Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo, who were out again for the second straight game in the Finals. Whenever he was on the floor, the Heat offense went through Butler as he was clinical for his team with his pinpoint passing and fierce drives to the bucket.

The Lakers star has always been down with competition, and for James to go up against an intense competitor like Butler, it's surely nothing but inspiring. These two are more than familiar with each other, as they have had multiple battles both in the regular season and in the playoffs. Look for these two superstars to continue to lead their respective teams as the 2020 Finals series continues.