Celtics vs. Heat: Grant Williams poked the wrong bear, and Jimmy Butler ate him alive in Boston’s Game 2 loss

There’s a powerful argument to be made that Jimmy Butler was once going to devour the Celtics alive down the stretch of Game 2 it doesn’t matter what. The guy is borderline possessed presently. 

Still, a few issues did not assist Boston’s purpose in a 111-105 loss that places them in an 0-2 deficit with the sequence headed to Miami on Sunday. First, Joe Mazzulla determined to unmarried duvet Butler. Even with the good thing about hindsight, I do not essentially disagree with the technique. 

I watch defenses lower their very own throat evening after evening via over-helping off shooters. Taking the reactionary guesswork out of that equation and simply holding everybody connected to their project, forcing Butler to make contested photographs time and once more, is no less than a defensible plan. 

But speaking trash to Butler as he is doing it? That is solely, let’s consider, unwise. We all get that those guys are competition and that is the warmth of a large second. But Butler is on hearth presently. Throwing gasoline on him, as Grant Williams did with 6:25 to play in the fourth quarter, is not just inquiring for hassle. It’s begging for it. 

As it took place, Williams, who has been out of Boston’s rotation (he did not play one minute in Game 1), has simply hit a 3-pointer. On his manner back off the courtroom, he began yapping in Butler’s ear. Check out the glance on Butler’s face.

“He hit a big shot. Started talking to me. I like that. I’m all for that. It makes me key in a lot more. It pushes that will to win that I have a lot more. And it makes me smile. It does,” Butler mentioned. (*2*)

The guy ain’t mendacity. After Williams poked the endure, Butler bulldozed him for an old school 3-point play on the resulting ownership and the two wound up brow to brow. 

Including that Butler bucket, the Heat outscored Boston 24-9 over the rest of the sport. Butler had 9 of the ones fourth-quarter issues, together with this “too small” hit process. 

Asked after the sport if Williams made a mistake via probably igniting Butler with some ill-timed trash communicate, Jaylen Brown merely mentioned, “Next question.”

Was Brown no longer in acknowledging the Williams incident as a result of he believed Williams made a mistake however did not wish to throw his teammate beneath the bus, or as a result of he thinks that is an inappropriate storyline? It might be both. I might lean towards the former. It turns out adore it could be simple sufficient to mention, “Hey, that didn’t have anything to do with why we lost this game.” 

I’m in the heart right here. I feel Butler has grow to be inevitable in those playoffs, and he was once probably going to do his factor down the stretch of this sport, in particular in opposition to unmarried protection, even though the complete Celtics group had taped their mouths close. 

I additionally consider Butler. He’s no longer the highest man to be chatting with. In the finish, whether or not Williams harm Boston’s probabilities of profitable this sport are up for debate. But he indisputably did not assist them.