Jimmy said after last night's debacle that it was the "Heat's" defense that was responsible for the loss. (?)
“Not offense. “I don’t think that will ever be our weak point in any game. We got to guard. I don’t think there’s any other way to say it.
“We can’t come into a game thinking we deserve to win. We should win. We don’t have to play hard. We don’t have to guard. We should just come in no matter our opponent, no matter where we’re playing, and do what the hell we’re supposed to do.”
“I think that whenever we’re making shots, we’re happy. We’re celebrating. We’re rah-rah-ing. That’s not who we are because we gotta be able to rely on defense. I think UD (Udonis Haslem) says it the best, ‘That’s some frontrunning shit.’ Whenever you’re making shots and you get to celebrate, and then you’re up and you go down there and you get a stop.
“I didn’t see no celebrating nor any of that tonight. I saw a lot of low energy. Not doing what we’re supposed to be doing. Frowns, not competing and it’s all because we didn’t make shots.”
Jimmy was out of line there. He was dead wrong on the facts, 21-6 in the fourth quarter is an offensive, not a defensive problem, but even if the 4th Q deficit was 40-25, he should not have criticized the team. This team has fabulous chemistry and this causes a chemical reaction that erodes good chemistry.
It reminded me, it was not nearly as bad as the tag-team punking of teammates that Jimmy and D-Wade put on in their only and done season in Chicago together. This shocking tirade caused the "Bulls" team to fracture. The other players went right at D-Wade: Who's he talking about who does't play hard enough. He doesn't even practice! It led directly to Jimmy's trade to Minnesota and D-Wade's trade back to Miami. It was on n January 26, 2017 after a loss:
Wade: “Everyone don't care enough. You got to care enough, man. It's got to mean that much to you to want to win. And it doesn't. … I don't know how you fix it. It just doesn't mean enough to guys around here to want to win ballgames. It pisses me off, but I can't be frustrated and I can't care too much for these guys.”
Butler: “Fucking just got to care if we win or lose. …We don't play hard all the time.”
Wade: “These games are supposed to hurt. I don't know if that is in guys in this locker room. Hopefully they can prove me wrong, but I will challenge them to see if losses like this hurt. … We can play bad, we can miss shots, but we're having too many of these lapses. We're having too many of these losses. This just can't be acceptable if you want to do something besides have an NBA jersey on and make some money. That's all we're doing around here."
Butler: “If you don't come in [for the next game pissed] off after you lose any game, if you're not pissed off that you lost, man, something is wrong. … I want to play with guys that care, guys that play hard, that want to do well for this organization. That want to win games, man. Do whatever it takes, just win."
Wade: “I can look at Jimmy and say Jimmy's doing his job. Jimmy can look at me and say Dwyane's doing his job. I don't know if we can keep going down the line and be able to say that."
Pat Riley and Eric Spoelstra have got to watch Jimmy Butler. Both of them ought to call Jimmy in and tell him privately what Riley wrote about Danny Ainge publicly:
"Jimmy Butler, you should shut the fuck up. Not only were you wrong on the facts but it is not your role to publicly criticize your teammates. That is our role and if you've noticed, we don't criticize our players publicly, we keep things in-house. If we, not you, we, have anything critical to say about our players we will say it privately, as we are doing to you now. You can say whatever you want in the locker room, but beware of rashness, Jimmy. Beware of rashness and bring us victories. If you criticize anybody, start with the man in the mirror. Do not do this publicly again."
“Not offense. “I don’t think that will ever be our weak point in any game. We got to guard. I don’t think there’s any other way to say it.
“We can’t come into a game thinking we deserve to win. We should win. We don’t have to play hard. We don’t have to guard. We should just come in no matter our opponent, no matter where we’re playing, and do what the hell we’re supposed to do.”
“I think that whenever we’re making shots, we’re happy. We’re celebrating. We’re rah-rah-ing. That’s not who we are because we gotta be able to rely on defense. I think UD (Udonis Haslem) says it the best, ‘That’s some frontrunning shit.’ Whenever you’re making shots and you get to celebrate, and then you’re up and you go down there and you get a stop.
“I didn’t see no celebrating nor any of that tonight. I saw a lot of low energy. Not doing what we’re supposed to be doing. Frowns, not competing and it’s all because we didn’t make shots.”
Jimmy was out of line there. He was dead wrong on the facts, 21-6 in the fourth quarter is an offensive, not a defensive problem, but even if the 4th Q deficit was 40-25, he should not have criticized the team. This team has fabulous chemistry and this causes a chemical reaction that erodes good chemistry.
It reminded me, it was not nearly as bad as the tag-team punking of teammates that Jimmy and D-Wade put on in their only and done season in Chicago together. This shocking tirade caused the "Bulls" team to fracture. The other players went right at D-Wade: Who's he talking about who does't play hard enough. He doesn't even practice! It led directly to Jimmy's trade to Minnesota and D-Wade's trade back to Miami. It was on n January 26, 2017 after a loss:
Wade: “Everyone don't care enough. You got to care enough, man. It's got to mean that much to you to want to win. And it doesn't. … I don't know how you fix it. It just doesn't mean enough to guys around here to want to win ballgames. It pisses me off, but I can't be frustrated and I can't care too much for these guys.”
Butler: “Fucking just got to care if we win or lose. …We don't play hard all the time.”
Wade: “These games are supposed to hurt. I don't know if that is in guys in this locker room. Hopefully they can prove me wrong, but I will challenge them to see if losses like this hurt. … We can play bad, we can miss shots, but we're having too many of these lapses. We're having too many of these losses. This just can't be acceptable if you want to do something besides have an NBA jersey on and make some money. That's all we're doing around here."
Butler: “If you don't come in [for the next game pissed] off after you lose any game, if you're not pissed off that you lost, man, something is wrong. … I want to play with guys that care, guys that play hard, that want to do well for this organization. That want to win games, man. Do whatever it takes, just win."
Wade: “I can look at Jimmy and say Jimmy's doing his job. Jimmy can look at me and say Dwyane's doing his job. I don't know if we can keep going down the line and be able to say that."
Pat Riley and Eric Spoelstra have got to watch Jimmy Butler. Both of them ought to call Jimmy in and tell him privately what Riley wrote about Danny Ainge publicly:
"Jimmy Butler, you should shut the fuck up. Not only were you wrong on the facts but it is not your role to publicly criticize your teammates. That is our role and if you've noticed, we don't criticize our players publicly, we keep things in-house. If we, not you, we, have anything critical to say about our players we will say it privately, as we are doing to you now. You can say whatever you want in the locker room, but beware of rashness, Jimmy. Beware of rashness and bring us victories. If you criticize anybody, start with the man in the mirror. Do not do this publicly again."