After Miami knocked off the top-seeded Bucks in the first round, Jayson Tatum said he didn’t consider the outcome an upset. Outsiders might see Miami as an eight-seed Cinderella, but the Boston players and coaches have run into the Heat enough times in the playoffs to know nothing will come easy against them. Historically great Game 1 performance across the board for Jimmy 🔥 /tkleb8gIqmīeyond Butler, the Celtics also seem to hold the rest of the Heat in extremely high regard. I can do that being on the bench if I have to. The bottom line for us is winning no matter what. Whatever my team needs me to do, that’s what I’m going to do. But about the using me more part, I’m just here. Me and Jimmy have had our battles over the years, but that’s respect right there. And he’s one of the best players in this league for a reason. “He’s been doing this for a very long time and we all know what he’s capable of. “Much respect to Jimmy for sure,” Smart told The Athletic. Smart, after hearing about Butler’s words, made it clear the admiration goes both ways, but also seemed intent on squashing any talk of his own role. “I’ve got a lot of respect for that guy and what he does on the defensive side of the ball and for sure what he does on the offensive side of the ball, because he plays his role to the T.” Now in their fifth playoff meeting, Smart and Butler seem to have moved past whatever animosity once existed between them.Īfter Boston’s 123-116 Game 1 loss, Butler said the Celtics would likely look at the film and see they should get Smart more involved. Six years ago, when Butler claimed Smart was “not about that life,” it would have been difficult to see the two competitors eventually targeting each other with so much praise.

What started contentiously has now evolved into mutual respect. “Some good content to tell our kids about,” Smart chuckled.

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