Jimmy Butler: 'I Don't Give a Damn' About Heat's NBA Finals Run After Loss to Nuggets

Most players would find some comfort if their team made a historic run to the NBA Finals, but Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler isn't most players.

Asked by Rohan Nadkarni of SI.com about the Heat's appearance in the Finals last season, Butler said "I don't give a damn" because they ultimately fell to the Denver Nuggets in five games.

"We didn't win," he added. "As we start off this new season, it's the same goal as always since I've entered this league, and that's to get my team to a championship. Last year was last year; we're past that."

The Heat spent most of last season hovering around the .500 mark before finishing 44-38. They won the Southeast Division for the second consecutive year, but it was their worst record by winning percentage since the 2018-19 season (.476).

Postseason expectations were virtually nonexistent, especially after they lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the first play-in tournament game to determine the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Heat were trailing late in the fourth quarter of their second play-in game against the Chicago Bulls before going on a 15-1 run to close it out and earn the No. 8 seed.

Miami became the second No. 8 seed in NBA history to reach the NBA Finals before the magic finally ran out.

Butler found another level to his game during the postseason run. He averaged 37.6 points on 59.7 percent shooting, 6.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game in the first round against the top-seed Milwaukee Bucks.

Most of the offseason discussion around the Heat involved their attempts to acquire Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers. He wound up being dealt to the Bucks in a surprise three-team deal that also involved the Phoenix Suns.

Butler had fun with the situation by debuting an "emo" look at Miami's media day on Oct. 2. It's also become an annual tradition for him to show off new hairstyles at media day. He had long dreadlocks during his first interaction with reporters before having them removed before the start of the regular season.

The Heat have reached the NBA Finals twice in the past four seasons, but they have been unable to finish the job both times.