In the landscape of the NBA, "The King" rules all. This has been the case since LeBron James arrived to the NBA in 2003. While there have been plenty of challengers to the throne, Bron has maintained his dominance and cemented himself as one of the greatest players of all time.
However, one player who has consistently given James a run for his money is Jimmy Butler. The two have had a long-standing rivalry on the court, dating back to their days in the Eastern Conference when Butler played for the Chicago Bulls while LeBron repped the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In an episode of the Netflix documentary series "Starting 5," the 20-time All-Star shared how demanding it is to face off against "Jimmy Buckets," whether in a regular-season game or in the NBA Finals.
Bron has to have his hard hat on when Jimmy is on the docket
Apart from their regular-season showdowns, LeBron and Jimmy have crossed paths thrice in the NBA Playoffs, beginning in 2013 when Bron, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and the Heat eliminated the Chicago Bulls from the Eastern Conference Semifinals 4-1.
A couple of seasons later, the two faced off in the second round with Bron—now back with the Cavs—still prevailing, 4-2. The last time the two met was in the 2020 NBA Finals held in the "Orlando Bubble," wherein LBJ and the Lakers defeated Butler and the Heat to capture the title.
Even though LeBron has gotten the best out of Butler on numerous occasions, the latter has always put up a fight. With his no-nonsense attitude and rugged style of play, the former Marquette ace is often seen as a thorn in LeBron's side.
"Jimmy Buckets. From the day he stepped into the league from Marquette, you knew, you had to have your hard hat on. You cannot step out on the floor when Jimmy's on the floor and not be ready to go. 'Cause he'd dog you," the 20-time All-NBA Team member remarked .
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Intense competition
Beneath Butler's goofy exterior lies an incredibly intense competitor who would stop at nothing to get a win. Early in his career, Jimmy had already learned that if his team wanted to be the best, the road would have to go through LeBron.
"The team I was drafted by—the Chicago Bulls—they could never beat LeBron and the Heat. So it gave me an opportunity to make my name in this league," Butler stated.
The losses to LeBron also fueled Butler's disdain for the "Chosen One" and his teams, making him work much harder.
"When I came into the league, early on, you hate the Heat. You hate LeBron. Hell, you hate any word that rhymes with Heat—feet? We don't like feet," Butler asserted.
Now 35 and with LeBron out in the West, the two only get to face one another a couple of times every season. However, make no mistake about it. Jimmy is still out for blood whenever he steps onto the court with James.
Related: "I don't want anybody else to guard him" - When LeBron James insisted on guarding Jimmy Butler in Game 6 of the 2020 Finals
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