Heat star Jimmy Butler expressed just how big of a deal it is for him to come up against Lakers star LeBron James.ư
It may be hard to believe given how much he’s still producing on the court, but Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will be turning 39 years old before the year ends. It’s truly difficult to imagine a league without James roaming the hardwood, but that moment is creeping up on everyone as much as they would refuse to admit it. And Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler, following their 108-107 win over the Lakers on Monday night, acknowledged just how big of an honor it truly is to play against one of the greatest to ever play the game.
Speaking to reporters after the Heat’s resounding home victory, Butler had some lofty praise for the King, expressing just how much of a “privilege” it is to go head-to-head against a player of his caliber.
“I respect LeBron so much, arguably the greatest player of all-time. And I really enjoy going up against him all these years. No matter what uniform he was in, it was always a constant battle. I will say he’s gotten the best of me when it counts. But I think it’s a privilege to be able to play against him, to be able to guard him, just being able to compete and learn so much at the same time. But more often than not, just competing,” Butler said, per ClutchPoints’ Zachary Weinberger.
As the old adage goes, “iron sharpens iron”, and that is certainly what LeBron James has done for Jimmy Butler through these years. Butler first came up against James in the playoffs back when The King was still with the Heat in 2013, and that was one of the moments that showed just how much potential Butler had. During that time, Jimmy Buckets averaged 15.6 points and 6.4 rebounds on 58 percent true shooting while playing 44.2 minutes per game, showcasing the dog he has in him even in the early goings of his career.
Butler may have an 18-9 record all-time against James in the regular season, but the Heat star is right in that James has owned him in the postseason. LeBron is 3-0 all-time in playoff series against Butler’s teams, most recently defeating him in the 2020 NBA Finals, but this has only served to make the 34-year old forward a more resilient player over the years, much to Heat fans’ delight.
