Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Pat Riley had some choice words for his Miami Heat’s star player Jimmy Butler on Monday.
Riley, who won five NBA championships in his illustrious coaching career before moving to Miami’s front office as team president, was responding to comments Butler made Saturday.
“If I was playing, Boston would be at home. New York damn sure would be fucking at home,” Butler said to the hip-hop media outlet Rock The Bells.
#RTBExclusive: @JimmyButler said what he said. Do you think Miami would have beaten Boston in the #NBAPlayoffs if Playoff Jimmy Butler was playing? pic.twitter.com/4HvHKhTsCM
— Rock The Bells (@RockTheBells) May 4, 2024
Butler was injured for Miami’s entire first-round playoff series against the Celtics, which the Celtics won 4-1.
“They are this year, I think, the best team in the league,” Riley told reporters in a post-season press conference Monday. “For him to say that, I thought ‘Is that Jimmy trolling or serious?’ If you’re not on the court playing, you should keep your mouth shut.” (RELATED: Lakers Just Fired Their Head Coach. With LeBron In Charge, The Poor Guy Never Stood A Chance)
Pat Riley on Jimmy Butler saying Boston would be home if he was playing:
“They are this year, the best team in the league…For him to say that, I thought is that Jimmy trolling or serious, if you’re not on the court playing, you should keep your mouth shut…” #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/89SB0P7To0
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) May 6, 2024
Couldn’t agree more Mr. Riley. I’m completely open to smack talk. I think it’s a fun part of the game and adds a little competitive flavor. But you never want to be the guy chirping in from the sideline.
As the great Teddy Roosevelt once said (and as the GOAT Tom Brady has since co-opted), “It is not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.”
Butler’s face was noticeably clean of sweat and blood as he watched the series from the bench. And I’m not criticizing him for being hurt. That’s a natural consequence of pursuing athletic endeavors. Sometimes your body gives out, there’s no shame in that. But if you did watch the whole thing from the sideline, shut up. Work your ass off for next season and let your game do the talking for you.