‘They have been punking us’: Grant Williams explains why he confronted Jimmy Butler

Celtics

“That is form of like what we have been lacking in that collection. They have been punking us all the time”

Jimmy Butler and Grant Williams. Photograph by Adam Glanzman/Getty Pictures
  • Boston Celtics' Robert Williams III dunks against Philadelphia 76ers' Tobias Harris

    Report: Robert Williams III engaged on on-ball offense, being extra ‘egocentric’

  • Grant Williams admits to ‘unprofessional’ 2 weeks in last season with Celtics, will all the time ‘love’ Joe Mazzulla

Grant Williams is “too nerdy” to be a lot of a trash talker, he mentioned throughout a latest episode of Tidal League’s Run Your Race podcast.

However, on the identical time, there are some issues that he feels that he can’t let slide.

The trash discuss that Jimmy Butler unleashed throughout Recreation 2 of the Japanese Convention Finals was one among them.

Williams mentioned Butler began speaking trash with 6:37 remaining within the recreation, after Williams hit a 3-pointer to place the Celtics up by 9.

“We’re enjoying that recreation, I feel we’re up by like eight,” Williams instructed Theo Pinson through the episode. “I’m enjoying properly. Jimmy says like ‘hell no’, he ain’t right here. So I made a 3 and I mentioned hell no mom(expletive), I’m right here. I mentioned that to him, barking, you recognize as a result of I’m not going to let him (try this). I’m all the time going to reply.”

Williams and Butler pressed their foreheads towards one another and commenced jawing after Butler continued the trash-talking when he hit a layup and received fouled with 6:22 remaining within the recreation.

“The subsequent play, Jimmy (hesitation), increase increase, cease, pivot, and-one. And he mentioned, ‘I’m right here, too, mom(expletive). So, I’m like I don’t give an (expletive),” Williams mentioned. “We have been going forwards and backwards as a result of like me, I’m not backing down. That’s form of like what we have been lacking in that collection. They have been punking us all the time.”

Whereas it’s true that Miami was extra aggressive than Boston through the collection, confronting Butler didn’t prove too properly for the Celtics. Miami rallied to win Recreation 2 earlier than claiming Recreation 3 and placing the Celtics in a 3-0 gap that they have been unable to dig themselves out of.

Williams admitted after the sport that he “poked the bear” by coping with Butler the best way he did.

“It’s loopy that I all the time look again at it and I’m like, are you aware I scored our final 10 factors?” Williams mentioned. “He had eight. However, the distinction is [Max] Strus made a 3, [Gabe] Vincent made a 3, so that they ended up successful the sport. If that doesn’t occur and we win the sport nobody brings that up, nobody says poke the bear and stuff like that.”

The Celtics tied the collection and compelled a decisive Recreation 7 at TD Backyard, however Miami received the final snicker by beating the Celtics at residence to earn a visit to the NBA Finals.

“Jimmy is aware of it’s all love as a result of we’re simply opponents naturally, so afterwards he even mentioned respect and stuff like that as a result of he’s a competitor, I simply try this to get myself going,” Williams mentioned. “I used to be like, I respect it too. All people has their very own factor. However, we ended up dropping that collection and it sucks as a result of when you make it to the Finals, who is aware of what occurs? However, the world works in mysterious methods.”