2. Jimmy Butler can be the best player in any series
Butler may have almost come to blows with Spoelstra this season, but that doesn’t alter his playoff resume in the slightest. When the game is on the line Butler still has one of the highest individual ceilings in the league.
His ability to handle the ball like a point guard with the size of a true wing makes him a matchup nightmare for opponents. His three-ball can be very streaky, but it’s got a real history of showing up big in the playoffs.
It may be Butler’s ultra-competitive nature that really sets him apart from his peers in the playoffs though. There are times when he’s simply refused to lose. Butler knows this team has a chance to achieve real playoff glory. That means he’s going to take it on as a personal mission to get Miami to the promised land.
Asking Butler to carry that kind of load for an entire postseason is a recipe for disaster. Fortunately for the Heat, they have the surrounding talent to carry their superstar for long stretches. Giving Butler the rest to pick and choose his spots for personal dominance is a big key for Miami.