Report: Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder Had 'Borderline Uncomfortable' Trash Talk with Heat

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Before the Miami Heat made a surprising run to the 2020 NBA finals, Jae Crowder and Jimmy Butler brought intensity to the Orlando bubble with a series of one-on-one games during a practice that lasted 30 minutes to an hour, per Zach Lowe of ESPN.

"The trash talk became so profane, and so personal, it was borderline uncomfortable, team sources said," per Lowe.

The battle initially began with trash talk during five-on-five scrimmages before the veterans cleared the court to settle things one-on-one. Butler eventually won, but teammates reportedly appreciated Crowder for bringing an edge to practices during the end of the seeding games last year.

Miami earned the fifth seed in the East but went on to beat the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA finals.

While Butler has earned a reputation for his intensity on the court, it's Crowder who is known to push teammates during practice.

The veteran also had intense battles with Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart and Evan Turner when he was a member of the Boston Celtics.

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"People thought we didn't like each other—that's how bad it was," Thomas told Lowe.

This style has helped Crowder push teams to their limit, which he is doing now with the Phoenix Suns. The squad hadn't reached the playoffs in any of the last 10 years, but the offseason additions of Chris Paul and Crowder have the team three wins away from an NBA title.

With 89 playoff games on his resume between the Suns, Heat, Jazz, Celtics and Mavericks, the 31-year-old continues to fill his role to perfection.