Jimmy Butler Takes Blame While Calling Out Heat's Lack of Energy After Nuggets Loss

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler thought his team lacked the requisite energy in their 109-94 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Finals on Wednesday.

Butler said he couldn't answer why that was the case and took responsibility as the leader of the team.

"Maybe we're at home; we think we did something," he told reporters. "I don't know. It just can't happen. It won't happen again. It starts with myself. I have to lock in on the defensive end. I have to go up and get loose balls. I think if I start playing and doing that, then everybody else has to follow suit."

This is becoming a running theme across the series. The Nuggets lost Game 2, which prompted Jamal Murray, Jeff Green and Michael Malone to all lament the lack of effort from the team.

There were no such problems for Denver in Game 3. The Western Conference champion out-rebounded the Heat 58-33 and scored 60 points in the paint.

Nobody is counting out Miami considering the team has thrived as an underdog all postseason.

The Heat lost to the Milwaukee Bucks by 16 points in Game 2 of the first round and then reeled off three straight wins to finish off the Eastern Conference's top seed. The Boston Celtics seemed to turn the tables on them by evening up conference finals, only for Erik Spoelstra's squad to coast to a 19-point victory.

Butler maintained the issues from Game 3 are "correctible," and exerting more effort with better execution could go a long way.

Fans will find out whether that's the case in Game 4 on Friday.