Jimmy Buter, Miami Optimistic Despite Going 3–1 Down in NBA Finals

• The Miami Heat fell into a 1-3 hole in the NBA Finals after losing 108-95 in Game 4 to the Denver Nuggets
• They need to win the remaining three games to win the title
• Jimmy Butler is confident even though they play two of the remaining three games on the road

For the umpteenth time, Miami Heat finds themselves in a precarious situation in the playoffs.

They lost Game 4 to the Denver Nuggets to go 1-3 down in the 2023 NBA Finals and now need to win the remaining games to win the championship.

The Heat have already overcome the odds stacked against them by the start of the playoffs. They had to play two games in the Play-In Tournament to make the playoffs. Then faced favorites Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. They shocked the 2021 champions and eliminated them in five games.

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They easily dispatched the New York Knicks in six games in the second round. They took a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference against favorites Boston Celtics, blew the lead then crushed them in Game 7 on the road.

However, the Nuggets have dominated them for most of the series in the finals, with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray doing most of the damage. They will need a herculean effort in Game 5 to stave off elimination. They will need to do that for the remaining three games.

Butler confident ahead of Game 5

Erik Spoelstra's team are only the second 8th seed to advance to the NBA finals after the IKnicks in 1999.

Butler finished with 25 points, Bam Adebayo contributed 20 points and 11 boards, while bench players Kyle Lowry (13 points), Duncan Robinson (12 points), and Caleb Martin (11 points) all scored in double figures, per the Athletic.

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Starters Gabe Vincent and Max Strus combined for two points in 38 minutes.

"We don't have no quit. We're going to continually fight starting [Saturday] to get better and then we're going to go on to Monday and do what we said we were going to do this entire time and win. We have to. We have no other choice," via ESPN.

Butler and the Heat made 8 of their 25 three-point attempts and committed 15 turnovers that led to 17 Nuggets points.

"So that's where we're at. That's our reality, so we've got to go out and win three straight," Butler said.

Butler reacts to Messi's arrival in Miami

Sports Brief earlier reported on Butler reacting to the news that football icon Lionel Messi will be playing with Inter Miami in the MLS.

Butler is friends with other football stars, Neymar Jr and Paul Pogba

"Obviously, he is one of the greatest players to play that beautiful game. I’m so excited for the city of Miami, to be able to have a player of that caliber here."