Jimmy Butler Posts Photo of 'Bad Boys' Meme After Suspension for Heat-Pelicans Fight | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Emily Baldwin Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler posted a Bad Boys meme on Instagram after he was suspended one game for his role in an altercation during a Friday night matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Matt Hanifan @mph_824_"It's all [Nikola Jovic's] fault."<br><br>It's impossible to dislike master troll Jimmy Butler 😂<br><br>(via Jimmy's IG)<a href="">@hothothoops</a> <a href="">@5ReasonsSports</a> <a href="">#HEATCulture</a> <a href="">
Miami's Butler and Thomas Bryant and New Orleans' Naji Marshall and Jose Alvarado were each ejected, while Butler and Marshall were suspended one game each and Alvarado and Bryant were each suspended three games.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportHEAT-PELICANS SCUFFLE. 4 players EJECTED. 😳😳 <a href="">
Nikola Jović was also suspended a game for leaving the bench area during the scuffle.
Butler didn't agree with his ejection, so he assuredly won't agree with the suspension. Butler said he was only attempting to keep Marshall away from Kevin Love after the Heat big man held onto Zion Williamson while defending a layup before Williamson fell to the court.
He added that he felt Williamson flopped on the play in question.
"He knew he shouldn't have did that," Butler told reporters. "Then [Marshall] came and put his hands on K-Love, and that's how it all escalated."
Butler did continue to try to get after Marshall, however, further escalating the situation after their initial confrontation.
Bally Sports New Orleans @BallySportsNOGetting chippy in NOLA 👀<a href="">@PelicansNBA</a> | <a href="">#Pelicans</a> | <a href="">@BallySports</a> 📺 <a href="">
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra though there was a series of misinterpretations in the heat of the moment out on the court.
"It was just, I think, a misunderstanding of the play," he said. "I think Zion slipped on the play when K-Love grabbed him and it looked a lot worse than what it was. And then everybody kind of overreacted. I think they interpreted that K-Love threw [Williamson] down. On K-Love's best day, I don't think he could throw him down."
It was an expensive misunderstanding, however, especially for Buttler:
Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42Here are the financial ramifications from the New Orleans/Miami skirmish:<br><br>💰Jimmy Butler (MIA): $259,968<br>💰Thomas Bryant (MIA): $52,308<br>💰Nikola Jovic (MIA): $12,655<br><br>💰Jose Alvarado (NOP): $37,988<br>💰Naji Marshall (NOP): $11,096
After the initial scuffle, Bryant and Alvarado had words near the scorer's table, threw punches and had to be separated.
And while all of that took place, Williamson ended up defending Love following the game.
"I wasn't tripping about K-Love, because he actually protected me on my fall," he told reporters. "I just kind of got up and walked away. All of a sudden I see Butler kind of lunging toward Naji, so I'm trying to get there like, 'Yo, relax, like what's going on?'"
Ask Jović. After all, according to Butler, it was all his fault.