Jimmy Butler is the closer

If Heat fans have had any doubt who to give the ball to in big moments, Jimmy has proved time and time again he is that guy.

Jimmy Butler is the heart and soul of the Miami Heat. He is the JIMVP, the leader of the team in every sort of way. He has proved that repeatedly over the course of the last few seasons since we acquired him. Having a player of Butler’s caliber rep a Miami jersey every night is truly a blessing for all of Heat Nation.

He is the best thing this franchise has had the opportunity to have since LeBron James. Butler led the Heat to the NBA Finals in his first season here ironically against James, but fell just 2 wins short of finishing off the upset.

More recently, Butler carried Miami to a game 7 of the ECF.

From what Heat fans have seen these last few seasons, it’s clear that Jimmy Butler embraces big moments. He will take all the pressure and not shy away. Fast forward to this season and Miami has found themselves in a lot of close games, some that have went down to the last few possessions or so. Some of these moments Miami found themselves on the winning end, in some statement wins against teams like the Warriors, Suns, Celtics, Clippers, Kings just to name a few.

Yes Tyler Herro had a game winning three pointer against the Kings earlier in the season. However, other than that it has been pretty clear for the most part that this team’s closer is indeed Jimmy Butler. Jimmy is all business when it comes to crunch time, players could pass him the ball and just get out of the way and let him go to work.

He will find a way to get a bucket when it is needed. Even if it’s not a bucket that the team needs, he will step up for a defensive stop as well. Such as when he clamped up Devin Booker and even blocked his shot to seal the win in Miami not too long ago.

The last game against the Los Angeles Clippers wasn’t any different.

In what was a close game throughout, Jimmy Butler scored the final 8 points for the Heat before winning the game.

The Clippers made the horrible mistake to keep switching defenders and put smaller guys on Butler late in the 4th, taking away defensive stopper Paul George’s chance to stop him. Jimmy was getting whatever he wanted, and made some big time mid range jumpers to seal the deal, shots that are right in his wheel house.

There was an interesting formula that coach Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat used in that Clippers game.

Get Jimmy going early, let the other guys like Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, Max Strus all pitch in led by Adebayo the most, and then let Jimmy close it out.

It worked flawlessly, as there was a natural flow and even spread throughout the middle of the game. There’s games where Miami can just stick around and play competitive, even if they are down a few buckets, and then just let Butler do his thing to end the game.

That is what closer’s do, and that is what Jimmy Butler does consistently.