Posted Up – Is Jimmy Butler the best player left in the 2022 Playoffs? – Yahoo Sports

In the latest episode of the Yahoo Sports podcast, senior NBA insider Chris Haynes and senior NBA writer Vince Goodwill discuss the performances by Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler in the Playoffs, and debate if he is the best player left in the field. Hear the full conversation on the Posted Up with Chris Haynes podcast. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you listen.

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CHRIS HAYNES: What's gotten to your boy Jimmy Butler?

VINCE GOODWILL: This is what he does.

CHRIS HAYNES: Not scoring like this though, Vince. This surge he's been on, I haven't seen this, man.

VINCE GOODWILL: I've seen this from him in different points of his career. When I was covering him in Chicago, our relationship got off to a rocky start because I told him he wasn't as good as Kawhi Leonard or Paul George.

CHRIS HAYNES: How do you feel about that now, Vince?

VINCE GOODWILL: Oh, it's time to have a discussion. It's time to have a conversation now. You know what I mean?

CHRIS HAYNES: Just a conversation? You don't want to admit that? You don't admit fault that you were wrong?

VINCE GOODWILL: No, no, no. He asked me because he was doing a "Slam" cover at-- a "Slam" magazine cover at the time. It was him, Kawhi, and Paul. And he said, who would you take out of the three of us? And I said, honestly, Jimmy, I'll take you last. But this was in the '15, '16 season. This was Jimmy coming off of his first really, really good year. And those guys had done it.

CHRIS HAYNES: I understand. I'm asking right now. Do you change your opinion on where he stands amongst those two?

VINCE GOODWILL: I changed my opinion the next year. I didn't need five years to change my opinion.

CHRIS HAYNES: But more importantly, did you tell him you changed? Does he know?

VINCE GOODWILL: I will never give Jimmy Butler that validation. Are you serious?

CHRIS HAYNES: See, man?

VINCE GOODWILL: I would never give him that--

CHRIS HAYNES: You're being petty.

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VINCE GOODWILL: Because--

CHRIS HAYNES: You're plenty.

VINCE GOODWILL: It's not petty, Chris. It is, you're never going to give someone the validation. Because you know what he said to me? He said to me that day, I'm going to prove to you that I'm better than those. And you know the thing he did that year, Chris?

CHRIS HAYNES: What did he do?

VINCE GOODWILL: Kawhi Leonard had a game winner in Chicago. Jimmy blocked it. About a week later, Paul George came to town. Jimmy hit like an alley-oop tip in layup over him that was at the buzzer. He didn't have to say anything to me. But he made sure when we got to the locker room back in the days when we were allowed in locker rooms and everything, Chris.

CHRIS HAYNES: That was a long time ago.

VINCE GOODWILL: Long, long, long, long, long time ago. He was like, you still taking them over me?

CHRIS HAYNES: So he remembered.

VINCE GOODWILL: Oh, he don't forget a thing. He's the best player left. He is the best player left.

CHRIS HAYNES: Whoo. You putting him over Steph, huh?

VINCE GOODWILL: He's doing it on both ends. He's giving it to you on both ends. When I'm talking about best player left, I'm not talking about naturally gifted, talented, all that. He literally turned the game, Chris, in that third quarter with two cringeworthy steals that Eric Spoelstra was trying to pull his hair out because you know Eric Spoelstra don't like his guys gambling off the defense like that.

And he went off. And he locked up Jayson Tatum. Then he big bodied Jayson Tatum for 40. You tell me what remaining player in the playoffs can do that on both ends. There's better offensive players. Yes. Steph is a better offensive player. Luka Doncic is a better offensive player. Jayson Tatum is. But who can do it that way and dominate a game on both ends of the floor? If Giannis was still playing, I'd be saying it was Giannis. But Giannis is sitting at home right now.

CHRIS HAYNES: All right. Hold on. You're saying Jimmy Butler is better than Stephen Curry. Is that what you're saying?

VINCE GOODWILL: I'm saying Jimmy Butler has performed better than Stephen Curry in these playoffs. 30 a night. Eight boards. Six assists. Steals and blocks. He's performed better. He has. I don't think there's much-- I don't think there should be much debate. Steph hasn't performed to Steph-like standards in these playoffs as of yet. Now--

CHRIS HAYNES: Does it matter? Does it matter? You know their resume already. You've seen what they've done.

VINCE GOODWILL: Oh, you mean resume like James Harden's resume before the Eastern Conference semifinals? Or were you willing to bet on James Harden's resume, Christopher Haynes?

CHRIS HAYNES: No. Because I seen what he was doing this season. So no. I was not. No.

VINCE GOODWILL: You've seen his movies. Right? Ain't you seen my movies? That's how I talk. Yeah. Yeah.

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Posted Up - Is Jimmy Butler the best player left in the 2022 Playoffs? - Yahoo Sports