Jimmy Butler seems very unbothered by Celtics’ Game 4 rout of Heat originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics have shown signs of life, and as the series shifts back to TD Garden on Thursday night, they could have momentum on their side.
Unless you ask Jimmy Butler, that is.
The Celtics surged to a 116-99 win over the Miami Heat in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Kaseya Center to keep their season alive and set up the possibility of sending the series back to South Beach if they can win at home in Game 5.
Game 4 takeaways: C’s keep season alive with 116-99 win vs. Heat
But when asked if he’s concerned about his team after Tuesday’s loss, Butler said the result could actually benefit Miami.
“No,” Butler said. “If anything, it’ll build momentum for us, knowing that we have to play with a lot more energy.
“We’ve got to play like our backs are against the wall. I think all year long, we’ve been better when we’ve had to do things our way.”
Butler and the Heat have remained unbothered in the face of adversity throughout the postseason. They bounced back from a play-in tournament loss to the Atlanta Hawks to defeat the Chicago Bulls and sneak into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed. They then knocked off the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks and No. 5 seed New York Knicks as heavy underdogs, with Butler leading the charge as their best player and emotional leader.
So, the Celtics shouldn’t expect Butler and Co. to be intimidated Thursday night in Boston, where the Heat won the first two games of this series and where the C’s have lost three of their last four contests.
If the Celtics want to force a Game 6, they’ll need to bring the same defensive intensity they showcased in the second half of Game 4, when they blocked six Heat shots and forced nine Miami turnovers.
“We still got a long uphill battle to go,” Celtics star Jayson Tatum said after Game 4. “But tonight was a good start, and just try to carry this momentum towards Thursday.”
Game 5 is set for Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. ET, with NBC Sports Boston’s coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET.