If only the Academy Awards considered entrants from the NBA, then Jimmy Butler might have earned an Oscar nomination for the way he tried to sell a foul late in Miami's win over New York.
Whether you consider his performance a drama or a comedy — or both — likely depends on your NBA allegiance. Either way, it was spectacular.
Butler tried out his acting chops while selling a flagrant foul with 4.8 seconds remaining in a 98-96 win. He certainly appeared to be in pain before slyly looking out from under his hands and hopping up nonchalantly when he knew he wasn't getting the call.
Jimmy Butler deserves an Oscar for trying to sell this flagrant foul. 😂
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 10, 2021
pic.twitter.com/JPI2Fu1XX8
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Butler didn't stop hamming it up there, either. Following the game, he told HEATv's Jason Jackson, with a straight face, that he thought he was concussed.
Jimmy Butler to @TheJaxShow “I thought I was concussed” 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Ln25RT7nRN
— Brendan Tobin (@Brendan_Tobin) February 10, 2021
Hey, when you play as well as Butler did on Tuesday, you can act however you want: He earned game-highs with 26 points and 10 assists and tied a game-high with eight rebounds in 36 minutes played. It's Miami's third straight win, with only one game remaining against the Rockets in the first half of the season.
Whatever it takes, right?
