"Doing wrestling moves on people": Jimmy Butler calls out Kelly Oubre Jr. for ending his 2023-24 NBA season

Jimmy Butler had a rocky 2023-24 NBA season due to multiple injuries, from ankle to knee setbacks. Revealed on Netflix's 'Starting 5' documentary, Butler talked about his season-ending right MCL sprain during the Play-In Tournament.

During the interview segment, Butler was not too pleased with how 76ers' Kelly Oubre Jr. injured him as they were securing a spot in the postseason.

The injury occurred when Oubre Jr. landed on his right ankle after the Heat star got him up on the air with a pump-fake move. However, Butler made his injury worse by continuing to play through it due to the playoff positioning implications attached to the game. He logged 40 minutes and put up 19 points (27.8% shooting) with 5 assists.

His comments were shared by user Emo Jimmy (@HeatCulture13) on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"F**king Kelly Oubre jumping in the air doing wrestling moves on people, which is crazy," Butler said. "I was just so confident in my ability. I was like, 'Yeah, we got this one in the bag'. Injuries happen, man. Damn, injuries happen."

Jimmy Butler ended up missing the entire playoff run of the Miami Heat as the team faced the Boston Celtics in the first round. It was a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Finals matchup, albeit with some new faces on both rosters.

The six-time NBA All-Star finished with 60 played games last season, averaging 20.8 points (49.9% shooting, including 41.4% from beyond the arc) and 5.3 rebounds.

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Jimmy Butler highlighted Heat coach's "formula for success"

In an interview with Miami Herald's Anthony Chiang, Jimmy Butler provided an insight into what is Heat coach Erik Spoelstra's formula for success.

"Spo is always talking about being a top-five defense and a top-five offense," Butler said. "That's the formula for success."

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler at Media Day - Source: Imagn

Spoelstra has always been regarded as one of the premier defensive coaches in the NBA. He has conjured up various schemes and sets to make all players on the opposing team uncomfortable. It has allowed them to force their opponents to play a certain way that works in their favor.

However, the team has experienced some offensive struggles in the Jimmy Butler era, especially starting from the 2020 season, leading up to last season's numbers. It can be due to lackluster depth and inconsistent production from their shotmakers, whether it's Tyler Herro or Butler himself.

In order to have a good shot at the NBA championship, a basketball team must be well-equipped at both the offensive and defensive ends.

Last season, the team finished as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference standings with a 46-36 record. They finished 21st offensively and fifth defensively in the league.