Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler Declared ”I Dont Need An MVP” Ahead Of Eastern Conference Final

Basketball fans can look forward to thrills and spills from the world’s best basketball league, as ESPN 2 on DStv brings live action from the 2019-20 National Basketball Association (NBA) season this coming week, Friday 11 to Thursday 17 September 2020.

The first live match available to viewers this week arrives on the morning of Friday 11 September, with Game 6 from a Conference Semi-final (02:00am LIVE on ESPN 2), while Game 7 of a Conference Semi-final will arrive on the evening of Sunday 13 September (8:30pm LIVE on ESPN).

The Conference semi-finals are mostly closely contested, with the Lebron James LA Lakers and Houston Rockets, as well as Denver Nuggets and LA Clippers looking too close to call in their series in the Western Conference, while it’s the same story for the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors in one Eastern Conference semi. The other tie in the East is already settled, with the Heat advancing into the finals.
Miami Heat small forward/shooting guard Jimmy Butler has emerged as one of the top players in the playoffs and is looking to take his team to glory: “This is where you play your best basketball. It may not be scoring or getting an assist. It could be anything. That’s what I try to do,” he explained.

“My coaches and teammates know I’m capable of making that happen. This is the time to really hoop, when I play at my best. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win. I would like to think that I’m a winning player. I haven’t won what I want to win yet, but I’m not a loser.

“I don’t need an MVP. I don’t care about anybody’s opinion. No trophy means anything except the Larry O’Brien [NBA Finals trophy]. I want to be a champion, man. I mean that. I think we can do something special here.”

Another narrative from this past weekend’s action was Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone complaining that the league has not allowed coaches to bring their families into the bubble at Disney World – something the players and ever referees are allowed to do.

“First, I’m going to say something that has nothing to do with your question,” said Malone. “Today is Day 60. All right? The guys that came down here on July 7 – and there weren’t many of us because we were ravaged with COVID – this is the original crew. This is day No. 60.

“The reason why I bring that up is because the players have their families here, which they deserve, which is the right thing to do. The referees are allowed to bring one guest, which is great for the referees. The coaches, the coaches are not allowed to bring anybody.”

Malone, who is married and has two children, continued: “I say, ‘Shame on you, NBA’. This is crazy. I miss my family. And I think I speak for me, I speak for my coaches and probably all the coaches down here. Sixty days and not having access and being granted the privilege to have my family come here, to me, is criminal in nature, and that shouldn’t be at all. So, I wanted to get that off my chest.”

The Eastern Conference Final gets underway on the morning of Wednesday 16 September with Game 1 (01:30am LIVE on ESPN 2).

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ESPN 2 NBA Broadcast Details

Friday 11 September
02:00am: Conference Semi-final, Game 6 – LIVE on ESPN 2

Sunday 13 September
8:30pm: Conference Semi-final, Game 7 – LIVE on ESPN

Wednesday 16 September
01:30am: Eastern Conference Final, Game 1 – LIVE on ESPN 2