After the Miami Heat won Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics to advance to the NBA Finals, All-Star small forward Jimmy Butler was asked why he was so confident one year ago when the Celtics beat the Heat in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals that Miami would be back on this state.

The swingman told reporters last year that the Heat would be back in the conference finals and get the job done, and Butler’s words came to fruition.

“I just know why Coach Pat and Coach Spo wanted me to be here and that’s to compete at a high level and to win championships,” Butler said. “I know that the group that they put around me at all times is going to give me an opportunity to do so. So I was always very, very confident in that. I work extremely hard with the team, with (Chris) Brickley. I can score on Remy (Ndiaye) all day every day, as I’ve posted on Instagram. I’m just confident.”

“I know the work that we all put into it. So I know what we’re capable of. Nobody is satisfied,” Butler explained. “We haven’t done anything. We don’t play just to win the Eastern Conference. We play to win the whole thing.”

NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat & Denver Nuggets Updates

The Heat will face the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. Butler, who is looking to win his first championship, loves the teammates he has in Miami.

“We have some hoopers,” Butler said. “We have some real-deal basketball players that can score, can defend and can pass and can win games for us.”

NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat & Denver Nuggets Updates

Butler averaged 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists in the Eastern Conference playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Celtics. He won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP trophy, which is named after Celtics legend and Hall of Famer Larry Bird.

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