Heat’s Pat Riley has stern message for Jimmy Butler after Knicks swipe: ‘You should keep your mouth shut’

Jimmy Butler not too long ago went viral for his feedback about the place the Miami Heat could be if he was in a position to play within the playoffs, but it surely seems his workforce president, Pat Riley, isn’t too glad along with his feedback. 

Butler was seen in a video that circulated on social media speaking about how the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks could be “at home” if he had been taking part in, implying that his presence on the court docket with the Heat would’ve resulted in them not dropping within the first spherical. Butler sprained his MCL through the Play-In Tournament, which led to him lacking the primary spherical. 

Riley spoke to media on Monday, the place he was requested his ideas on Butler’s feedback. 

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“For him to say that, I thought is that Jimmy trolling, or is that Jimmy serious?” Riley mentioned. “If you’re not on the court playing against Boston, if you’re not on the court playing against the New York Knicks you should keep your mouth shut and your criticism of those teams.”

The message from Riley is fairly clear right here, because the Heat usually are not, in truth, taking part in anymore within the playoffs because the Celtics and Knicks each moved on to the second spherical. 

TOM THIBODEAU HAS HILARIOUS RESPONSE TO JIMMY BUTLER’S SLIGHT TOWARD KNICKS: ‘I’LL BEAT HIM TO A PULP’

In the video, Butler may be heard saying, “If I used to be taking part in, Boston would at residence, New York rattling positive could be at residence. Josh Hart? C’mon man.”

He additionally jokingly mentioned that he wished to beat Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau to a pulp on the court docket, to which the veteran coach responded by saying the very same factor to reporters forward of the Knicks’ first spherical matchup with the Indiana Pacers on Monday. 

Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat prepares to shoot a free throw in opposition to the Washington Wizards on February 2, 2024 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC.  (Kenny Giarla/NBAE by way of Getty Images)

“Who?” Thibodeau mentioned on Sunday. “I don’t know him. But I’ll beat him to a pulp.”

Riley additionally has a powerful connection to the Knicks, having been their head coach from 1991-95 earlier than he joined the Heat. Riley led the Knicks to the NBA Finals through the 1993-94 marketing campaign when the workforce went 57-25. 

Riley’s Heat made a Finals run final season, stunning everybody as they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks within the first spherical and continued to wipe the Eastern Conference competitors earlier than dropping to the Denver Nuggets within the ultimate collection of the season. Butler was a key piece in making that occur. 

Pat Riley appears on earlier than sport 5 of the 2023 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets on June 12, 2023 on the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.  (Issac Baldizon/NBAE by way of Getty Images)

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But Riley doesn’t need to hear hypotheticals from Butler, whether or not he was “trolling” or not. The two groups he talked about nonetheless have an opportunity to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy, whereas the Heat are already waiting for the 2024-25 season. 

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