NBA FINALS: HEAT VS. NUGGETS

June 7, 2023

Jimmy Butler

Bam Adebayo

Miami Heat

Game 3: Postgame

Denver Nuggets 109, Miami Heat 94

Q. What's the emotions in the locker room? How are you guys going to improve for Friday?

JIMMY BUTLER: We feel great. We didn't play our best tonight. I feel like we just got to come out with more energy and effort, and that's correctible. That's on us as a group. No X's and O's can fix that.

So come out, dive on the floor, get loose balls, get defensive rebounds and maybe, just maybe, it would have been a different game.

Q. You and Bam combined to shoot 10 of 30 in the paint tonight. Do you feel like most of the attempts were shots that were in your wheelhouse, or was there something Denver was doing paint defense-wise that hurt a little bit?

JIMMY BUTLER: I can only speak for myself, but I missed some that I normally make, along with Bam, too. But we are going to continually get those. Getting two feet in the paint, if you can get a shot up, get it up. If you can't, get it out to your shooters.

I think we did a good job with that. Maybe we do have to do a better job of finishing. But those are the same shots that we're going to get next game, and we are expected to take and make those.

Q. You two guys are the two primary defenders most of the time on that pick-and-roll with Jamal and Jokic. What makes that pick-and-roll so unique and effective like it was tonight?

BAM ADEBAYO: One, Jokic can pass, and Jamal is looking to score. I feel like that's what makes it so dynamic.

Q. You guys got outrebounded 58-33. You mentioned the effort. Why do you think it was so lacking tonight?

JIMMY BUTLER: I don't know. I can't answer that. Maybe we're at home; we think we did something. I don't know. It just can't happen. It won't happen again.

It starts with myself. I have to lock in on the defensive end. I have to go up and get loose balls. I think if I start playing and doing that, then everybody else has to follow suit.

Q. When Nuggets play pick-and-roll and with Jokic, and kind of like double a lot, do you think that is good strategy for tonight?

JIMMY BUTLER: I don't know. We're going to get back to the film and figure it out, because we do have to be better guarding both of those guys. One is the ball-hander and one is the guy that is setting the screen and popping and rolling.

It's not an easy task to do, but if we want to win, we are going to have to figure it out.

Q. Denver is really successful at running off misses. It's like they get transition opportunities, even when you guys are not necessarily turning over the ball. What's the key to slowing them down when Jokic grabs the rebound and wants to run? What's the first thing that you have to do to stop him from running out like that?

BAM ADEBAYO: All five guys get back. I feel like that eliminates the transition. Everybody get back, low to the ball and we figure it out from there.

Q. You talked all playoffs about how you're more than happy to get off the ball, allow your teammates to do it. I think you were around 22, 23 shots at the end of the third quarter. What made you see that you felt like you wanted to be a little more assertive with your shot tonight?

JIMMY BUTLER: Two feet in the paint. Shoot the shots that I know that I can make. Stay aggressive. It's the same thing. I think if guys were open, like I said, I've always got to pass it to them. I will continually do that. But if I get two feet in the paint, I'm expected to shoot a layup or a floater, and I'm expected to make it, too.

Q. You somehow bring the game to nine points with 90 seconds to go, and the arena is half-empty. I'm sorry for this question, but isn't that disappointing?

BAM ADEBAYO: I mean, I'm in-game, so I'm not really focused on fans leaving. I'm really focused on, can we get a stop, can we score and then see if we can come back in this game with 50 seconds left.

Q. Did you guys notice that they made a concerted effort to take Max out of the game, especially when he had those four threes in the first quarter the last game?

BAM ADEBAYO: They look at film. They definitely watched the game plan. The biggest thing for us is watch film and see how we can get Max open again.

JIMMY BUTLER: Appreciate you.

BAM ADEBAYO: Black lives matter, people.