Heat's Jimmy Butler Declares 'This Year is Our Year' Ahead of Celtics Series

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is firm in his belief the team can get over the top in its quest for an NBA title.

"This year is our year," he said Tuesday ahead of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.

The Heat aren't favorites to win the NBA Finals. They've actually got the longest title odds (+1500) at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Still, you wouldn't want to bet against Miami at this stage. The team already toppled the No. 1-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and took four of the five games against the New York Knicks when Butler suited up.

The Heat seem to thrive when their backs are against the wall and the lights are brightest.

"Our team has obviously not been perfect this year," head coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after a win over the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament. "But I do know one thing about the men in that locker room: The last 48 hours, I know how categorically, unequivocally, how badly and desperately our group wanted to get into this damn thing—and get into the playoffs to have an opportunity to compete for a title."

The Heat's Eastern Conference title in 2019-20 didn't deserve an asterisk, but it was easier to dismiss somewhat because they were in the Walt Disney World bubble. The success was no fluke with Miami back in the conference finals for the third time in four years.

Butler has unquestionably been the engine once again. He's averaging 31.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists in the postseason, a run that includes his 56-point performance in Game 4 of the first round against Milwaukee.

And on the sideline you have Spoelstra, who has long established himself as one of the best coaches in the league. Time and again he adapts on the fly once he diagnoses how best to exploit an opponent's weaknesses in a seven-game playoff series.

Maybe the Heat have met their match against the Celtics, who are just as battle-tested while boasting more talent from top to bottom. Or their luck could run out in the Finals if they face off with the Los Angeles Lakers or Denver Nuggets.

But you can understand where Butler's confidence comes from.

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