NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS. HEAT

May 19, 2022

Jimmy Butler

Miami Heat

Game 2: Postgame

Celtics 127, Heat 102

Q. What was the difference between Games 1 and 2? What was the biggest difference?

JIMMY BUTLER: They made shots that they missed last game. That's just what it is. It's going to be hard to beat anybody when they shoot 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three. They were the more physical team overall and they got one on the road.

Q. Obviously in your playoff career, you've been through wins and losses of all kinds. A game like this, Bam just said, it's one. Do you just move on from it? Do you toss out the tape or do you try to learn as much as you can from it before you move on to Game 3?

JIMMY BUTLER: Yeah, you do got to move on. I don't like to move on from this because it has to hurt. They tried to embarrass us. They did embarrass us. So I think we got to realize that, use it as fuel, whatever you want to say, but realize the game can get out of hand when you're playing against a really good team like them that can score the ball and get stops. Overall, we have to be better. We have a tough job to do to go over there and win, but if they did it, we can do it, as well.

Q. Obviously you're scoring in this series but you're having to work really hard to get those numbers. As a team, what is not there for you guys right now offensively?

JIMMY BUTLER: I think I have to do a better job of getting everybody else involved, if I'm being brutally honest. I have to find that fine medium, that fine line in between when to be aggressive and when to make sure that I can get guys open.

You know, I've got to basically do Kyle's job and make sure guys are in spots where they can be comfortable and be the most successful. That's on me. I don't think that's on Spo. I don't think that's on Bam. I think it's my job, because I got the ball a lot of the times, to make sure that everybody is comfortable and getting the shots that they need to have.

Q. We've just been saying that you've been doing both roles for most of the playoffs because Kyle has been out. Do you think you got away from that tonight?

JIMMY BUTLER: Yeah, I think I got a bit selfish on the offensive end. I got to look to use my teammates. They have been there for me all year long and I got to get back to that because whenever they are scoring, whenever they are aggressive, we are a much better team.

Q. You had mentioned after Game 3 and 4 in Philly that you wanted to pass more. Are they taking away your playmaking angles the way Philly was or is Boston doing something different?

JIMMY BUTLER: No, I just have to set better screens, attack more, touch the paint and look to kick the ball out even sometimes when I do have a layup, just because that is the right basketball play, and somebody is more than often going to be open.

That's on me. I'll watch the film and, I promise you, I will figure it out. But I'll get these guys open.

Q. When you do get embarrassed like this in a game, how confident are you that this group with the injuries that you are dealing with right now can respond the way you want moving forward?

JIMMY BUTLER: I look at it as it can't get too much worse. They whipped our tail on our home floor. I guess if they do it on their home floor, it's supposed to happen, but I don't see us doing that again. I mean, the first half has been brutal for us in both of these games. We just got to come out and then play harder from the jump and be ready because they will be throwing some haymakers in the first half.

Q. Obviously they shot lights out, but were there times tonight your defense as a group bothered you in terms of giving Boston too much air space on threes and other shots?

JIMMY BUTLER: Yeah, they got to the free throw line. Yeah, they made threes. They got to the paint and got layups. They got out in transition. They got offensive rebounds. They were doing what we pride ourselves on, actually.

But that's what you get whenever you're playing against a really good team. They have been playing that way for a very long time.

So I think overall, we've seen it before, we damn sure saw it tonight. So if we don't want it to happen again, we have to fix it.

Q. Tonight they were switching a lot more than they did in Game 1. Was that something that you think disrupted your offense or was it more about not getting enough consistent stops on defense?

JIMMY BUTLER: For sure, all about stops. How many times we shoot the ball? Shot the ball more than they did. We just didn't make shots. That's part of the game. But we damn sure didn't guard anybody, and when we don't do that, that's a trend all year long. When we're not making shots, we're not guarding anybody. So we need to fix that once again where we worry about defense first. The offense will come.

Q. Marcus spoke in the other room, and speaking as a sign of respect toward you, he called you a warrior and said he loves to play against you any time he can. For him to come out after missing the game with a bad foot and having the impact he did, what does that say about him?

JIMMY BUTLER: Look, he's key to what they do over there on both sides of the floor, actually, and for sure when he's making shots.

But as a Defensive Player of the Year, night in, night out, taking that matchup and being able to play on both sides of the ball, that's crucial for them. He was a big part of them winning this game tonight, along with Al Horford, and obviously J.T. and J.B. do what they do. But they came out and willed that organization, that team to a W. You have to respect him and what he does.

Q. Did you get a chance to talk to P.J., and are you worried he might be out for a little bit?

JIMMY BUTLER: I did. I think he'll be all right. Marcus said I'm a warrior; so is he. If he's not ready to go, though, everybody else has to be ready to go. Those are some even bigger shoes to have to fill because he does it on the defensive end. We're capable of it, though.