Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler was far from losing his composure after losing the first game of the NBA Finals.
“We are doing well, really. We are very quiet. We are very serene. We are still very confident in it. It hasn’t gone anywhere. We will always believe in each other no matter what happens at home or at home. And we’re still going to get four wins,” he said at a press conference.
That message, that he believes they can do it and that they are “going to get four wins,” Butler repeated over and over before the microphones this Saturday.
“Failing 1-0 (…) we stand there smiling, laughing, knowing we can play better. We’re going to play better. We have to be better if we want to win,” he said.
The Nuggets signed a stellar debut in the first Finals in their history this Thursday, subduing the Heat with authority to take advantage in the battle for the NBA ring (104-93, 1-0 in the series).
Butler didn’t have his best day, finishing the game with 13 points (6 of 14 shooting), 7 rebounds and 7 assists.
“I have to be more aggressive to put pressure on the rim,” the Miami star admitted.
“I think that makes everyone’s work easier. My teammates copy me when I’m aggressive on both sides of the game. So I have to be the one to go out (in the next game) and start on the right foot, which I will, and we’ll see where we end up.”
Butler also noted that he relies 100 percent on teammates who had a bad first meeting, like Caleb Martin and Max Strus, shaking hands after poor 1-for-17 shooting and 3 points between them.
“I tell them, ‘I’m still going to pass the ball to you and if you miss the next ten and you’re open in the 11th, I’m still going to throw the ball to you because you’re never going to lose the reason why we ”, he said.
“It’s always a team effort and I want them to get the same shots (…) and stay aggressive,” he concluded.
Next Sunday, the second game of the Final will be played in Denver before the series moves to Miami, where the third and fourth games will be played on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
Source: El heraldo
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
