All eyes are on the Miami Heat and especially their superstar Jimmy Butler.
Butler has been one of the most respected players in the league, but he’s currently generating more buzz after some incredible playoff performances.
Thanks to him, Miami shocked the world by pushing the top-seed Milwaukee Bucks out of the postseason in the first round.
Butler’s phenomenal work on the court carried the Heat through that stunning upset.
Now, Miami is set to face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Will Butler be able to keep producing magic for his team?
According to The Athletic, via Heat Nation, one anonymous NBA scout wasn’t so sure, saying the following:
“I’m not saying he’s a one-man show, but he’s playing at such a level that I’m not convinced that he can maintain that, especially against a smart coach and a defensive-oriented team.”
NBA scout unsure if Jimmy Butler can maintain success vs. Knicks, says Josh Hart and Quentin Grimes can give him trouble:
— Heat Nation (@HeatNationCom) April 28, 2023
While there is no denying that Butler was sensational during the first-round series, the Bucks sometimes made life easy on him.
They weren’t playing like their normal selves, creating countless mistakes to repeatedly allow Butler to light up the scoreboard.
New York defenders like Josh Hart and Quentin Grimes are sure to present tough challenges for Butler moving forward.
“I’m not saying they can neutralize Butler, but the Knicks can run two really good defenders at him,” the scout said.
Most people agree that the Knicks will be much harder to beat than the Bucks were.
At the same time, Butler has been playing with such confidence that we can’t count out even more surprises.
No one thought the Heat would beat the Bucks, but the unstoppable nature of Butler made that possible.
Can he keep it up against the Knicks, no matter what the insiders and scouts think?
NEXT:
Heat Star Weighs In On Bucks’ Major Timeout Blunder
