BREAKING NEWS: NBA punishment is equivalent to a jail sentence, as Heat player Jimmy Butler stated.
Jimmy Butler, a top player for the Miami Heat, quipped on Instagram that his five-game suspension was equivalent to a jail term after a fight broke out during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The NBA said on Sunday that Butler, Pelicans player Naji Marshall, and fellow Heat forward Nikola Jovic have all been suspended without pay for one game after starting and participating in the “on-court altercation” that occurred in New Orleans on Friday. Jose Alvarado of the Pelicans and Heat center Thomas Bryant both received three-game suspensions.
A few hours after the ban was announced, Butler gave a response.
“It was all Nikola Jovic’s fault,” he said in the Instagram post’s description, which showed the teammates posing on a modified Bad Boys movie poster.
Butler identified the Miami-Dade County Jail as the post’s location. On his Instagram story, he also shared images of songs he was listening to, like Kanye West’s “Jail” and Akon’s “Locked Up.”
This season, Butler, 34, is leading the squad in scoring, rebounds, and assists per game with 21.4. This season, the six-time All-Star and five-time All-Defensive Team selection has played in 38 games.
When the Heat (31-25) play the Sacramento Kings (33-23) on Monday night in Sacramento at 10 p.m. EST, they will be without their star forward.
In response to a question about his teammate defeating the Kings, Butler told reporters on Sunday, “I want to go out there and compete with my guys, as does Nico, as does T.B.”
We should be able to finish it, in my opinion. Although it could be a little more challenging, I have faith in these men to succeed.”
Erik Spoelstra, the coach of the Heat, stated on Sunday that he did not believe the NBA was right to suspend Butler for one game.
Spoelstra remarked, “It felt like Jimmy shouldn’t have gotten a game on that.” Really, it was just a little pushing and tangling. Given that he missed the fourth quarter, I don’t think it warrants another game. But things are as they are.”
