Jimmy Butler and the Heat will take a 2-0 series lead back to Miami tonight for Game 3 against the Boston Celtics. 

On Friday night, the Celtics looked to be well on their way to tying the series at 1-1 but Grant Williams decided to ‘poke the bear’ and take matters into his own hands when the Celtics were up nine points with just over six minutes left in the game. 

At the 6:37 mark in the fourth quarter, Williams drilled a 3-pointer to put the Celtics up 96-87. He then thought it was a good idea to run down the court and chirp at Jimmy Butler. 

Grant Williams formally introduced to Playoff Jimmy Butler

That moment changed the entire game. 

On the next possession, Butler hit a shot over Williams and AGAIN, Williams was in Butler’s face as the two bumped heads in a heated exchange.

After Butler connected on the free throw to cut the Heat’s deficit to just six points, Miami went on a 24-9 run to end the game. Playoff Jimmy scored nine of those points as the Heat scored 36 in the fourth quarter to leave Boston with a 111-105 victory and a 2-0 series lead. 

All Williams really had to do was shut the fuck up and close out the game to even the series with the Heat before heading to Miami. Instead, he thought he would be a tough guy and literally ignite Jimmy Butler. It was as if Williams had no idea who Butler was and what he’s been doing to opposing teams throughout the playoffs.

Every single person watching the game knew immediately that chirping at Jimmy Butler had to be the dumbest move ever by Williams the second it happened.

It’s literally Jimmy Butler and Grant Williams is NOT that guy.

When guarded by Grant Williams, Jimmy Butler shot 85.7% from the field.

Williams has barely even played in the playoffs and instead of just finishing the game strong, he decided to take matters and momentum into his own hands, which clearly, did not work out to the Celtics advantage. 

A nine point lead with six minutes left in a pivotal Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals and you let a role player start chirping at the best player in the NBA playoffs this season that eventually sparks an improbable 24-9 run to give the eighth seeded Miami Heat a 2-0 series lead. 

That’s literally insane and really, everyone on Celtics team is to blame.

The Heat beat the crap out of the Celtics in every aspect of the game and left Boston shell shocked. Instead of keeping their cool and closing out the game, Boston let Miami punk them yet again. 

Jayson Tatum didn’t make a field goal in the fourth quarter and Jaylen Brown went 1-for-5 from the floor in the final frame. The Celtics turned the ball over 15 times which led to 20 Miami Heat points.

All of that AND Grant Williams lighting a fire under Jimmy Butler? 

Boston deserves to be down 2-0.  

Following the game, Butler who again, scored nine of his 27 points in the game following Williams’ trash talk, made it very clear to the Celtics that talking shit to him was NOT the answer. 

“There’s no way they thought that was the answer”

It was abundantly clear that Williams made the wrong move in the fourth quarter and while speaking with the media, Butler told reporters that Williams’ talking shit fueled him and again, that he was NOT the answer. 

“Yes, it did (fuel me),” Butler said, via ESPN. “But that’s just competition at its finest. 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 that I have to win a lot more. It makes me smile. It does. When people talk to me, I’m like, OK, I know I’m a decent player, if you want to talk to me out of everybody that you can talk to. But it’s just competition. I do respect him, though. He’s a big part of what they try to do. He switches. He can shoot the ball. I just don’t know if I’m the best person to talk to.”

It was a costly mistake from Williams and all things considered, it may have ended the Boston Celtics season. The Heat now have a 2-0 series lead and Game 3 is tonight in Miami.