On the morning following a melee that led to the ejection of Jimmy Butler and three others, the Miami Heat star took to Instagram for a declaration.
“It’s that time,” Butler wrote on an Instagram post that included pictures of the scuffle that broke out in the fourth quarter of the Heat’s 106-95 win over the Pelicans in New Orleans Friday night.
But the TL;DR version is that after Kevin Love fouled Zion Williamson on a layup attempt, Pelicans forward Naji Marshall came to help his teammate and pushed Love out of the way. Butler shoved Marshall back and his hand slipped from Marshall’s chest to his neck, and Marshall retaliated by putting his hand on Butler’s neck. Butler charged at Marshall and both benches cleared.
After order was restored, Butler and Marshall were ejected from the game along with Heat center Thomas Bryant and Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, who came to blows after the benches cleared.
“I put my hand around his neck, he put his hand around my neck and it took off the way it did,” Butler said after the game. “I don’t think I should have got thrown out of that game.
Butler tallied 23 points on 7 for 12 shooting, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals in his 27 minutes before the ejection. It continues a run of strong two-way play from the Heat star. Over his last eight games, Butler is averaging 24.1 points on 56.5% shooting, 8 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.1 steals.
The Heat will host the Pelicans at Kaseya Center on March 22, an otherwise unremarkable game that will now be circled on both team’s calendars.
“We’re just the better team,” Butler said. “I think that when we get them on our home court, it’s going to be a different game. I hope they’re healthy and it’s going to be the same outcome.”
