Getty Image / Kevin C. Cox
The Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat are set to face off in the NBA Finals with Game 1 tipping off on Thursday, June 1.
However, these teams have a little bit of a history, as there was a big altercation early in the 2021-2022 season.
Now, Jimmy Butler addresses the alleged beef between himself, Nikola Jokic, and the Nuggets.
For anyone who needs a quick refresher, back in November 2021, Jokic shoved Markieff Morris hard midway through the fourth quarter. It resulted in a yelling match while referees tried to calm down the situation.
Jimmy Butler was noticeably heated as many believed he was calling Nikola Jokic to meet him in the tunnel.
The Heat even tried meeting the Nuggets in the hallway after the postgame presser. However, there were no reports of anything transpiring in the tunnels after the game.
Great photo of the Miami Heat waiting to confront the Nuggets in the hallway!
📷 @Aaronontiveroz pic.twitter.com/ZWK7Wo3aN1
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 9, 2021
During a press conference leading up to the 2023 NBA Finals, this altercation was brought back up in a question to Butler.
However, the Heat superstar took the opportunity to state he has no beef with Jokic, or the Nuggets in general. In fact, he claims he wasn’t yelling at Jokic at all. Butler also would not name the person he is talking about.
Here’s what Jimmy Butler had to say about the 2021 altercation.
“I wasn’t talking to Jokic. That wasn’t my beef.”
Jimmy sets the record straight on the Heat-Nuggets altercation in 2021 pic.twitter.com/LEqK6ckZbd
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 31, 2023
So, maybe the beef was squashed, or there was never any beef to begin with. Regardless, this should be an entertaining Finals matchup.
Nikola Jokic is arguably the best player in the league right now while Jimmy Butler continues to be one of the best postseason players in the NBA.
Look for this series to be electric, as the end of the 2022-2023 season nearing an end.