Jimmy Butler praises LeBron James before meeting in NBA finals

Jimmy Butler was very complimentary of the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James ahead of the Miami Heat meeting them in the NBA Finals.

The Miami Heat have been underdogs throughout their run through the Eastern Conference playoffs, and they have once again been assigned that tag as they prepare for a matchup with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. Normally a bold, brash interviewee, Jimmy Butler knows not to poke the bear and antagonize his Finals opponent.

Butler had high praise for the team standing between him and his first ring, calling James and the Lakers, who took down the Denver Nuggets in five games, a “test” due to the fact that winning a championship over the course of the last decade almost always means you will have to go through LeBron.

Jimmy Butler knows how difficult it is to stop both LeBron James and Anthony Davis

The Heat have overcome the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks in addition to the Boston Celtics in this postseason. While Milwaukee is willing to let their two stars in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton do most of the damage, Boston and Indiana rely on depth and defensive tenacity. The fact that Miami was able to beat both of those styles in a convincing matter bodes well for their chances against a Lakers team that will rely on James and Anthony Davis to do most of the scoring.

The lack of depth for LA is a concern, but the Lakers have gone 12-3 in the postseason this year, so Frank Vogel is clearly finding ways to do more with less. With James thirsting for ring No. 4, Miami’s team-oriented style and high-effort play on both sides of the ball might not be enough to stop him from going supernova and giving the Lakers a ring.

Try as he might to deny this, Butler’s Heat are the proverbial David against the Goliaths known as LeBron and the Lakers. Time will tell if Miami’s momentum or LA’s star power will win the day.