Anthony Davis demanded to guard Butler and was given the assignment

[Frank Dux]

He’s the true DPOY

[Jedzz]

Why doesn’t Davis demand to guard real centers. Nope. He ain’t dumb. He doesn’t like to guard centers bigger than him who can post him up.

So sure. Go guard a 6 foot 7 guard/forward with short arms who likes to drive more than his shoots.

I sort of agree. But if it was that easy for general bigs more would. Hopefully Jimmy is warmingg up his 3pt jumper.

[Roscoe Sheed]

Butler really needs to work on his 3 point shot. It is an obvious liability. He almost refuses to shoot it even if they leave him totally open

[MarcusBrody]

But Mark Jackson told me during the game that LeBron took the Butler assignment

He was on him for much of the first half. Vogel even adjusted his rotation so he could be synced up to guard him. And he did a good job on him as well.

[Pennebaker]

https://sports.yahoo.com/anthony-davis-wanted-the-task-of-guarding-jimmy-butler-and-it-paid-off-in-game-4-155631906.html

"Davis was in foul trouble much of Game 3 and couldn’t play the aggressive style he’s accustomed to. The coaching staff intended to use Davis on Butler, but couldn’t risk it with foul trouble.

After that game, privately, a frustrated Davis alerted teammates and coaches that he needed to be glued to Butler, sources told Yahoo Sports.

And in Monday’s practice, Davis was officially given the assignment he wanted. After the ball was tipped and when the Heat got their first offensive possession, the tone was set when Davis shadowed Butler".

Butler playoff average: 21/6/5 on 46% shooting
Butler in game 4: 22/10/9 on 47% shooting

Look, Jimmy Butler is not Kobe Bryant or LeBron James. Holding him to 22 points is not actually that hard. He had a good game 3 but that was the best game of his career. In game 4 he missed 7 shots in a row while being defended by Morris and Kuzma.

So, yeah. He was basically going to have a game like that regardless of who was defending him.

And, besides, in the 4th quarter AD defended Butler on only 1 shot, and that was at the very end of the game - with 20 seconds left - when it was already decided.

[MarcusBrody]

But Mark Jackson told me during the game that LeBron took the Butler assignment

He was on him for much of the first half. Vogel even adjusted his rotation so he could be synced up to guard him. And he did a good job on him as well.

[LAvision]

This is being a bit overblown

Considering he dropped a 40 pts trip dub the game before, Ill gladly take that production.

[socal74]

This is being a bit overblown

you realize that Jimmy Butler was less aggressive with AD on him right? Do you think 5/11 says it all? Did you watch the **** game?

[evilpimp972]

This is being a bit overblown

Watch on YouTube

Wait. I can see Butler scoring at 1:15 and 2:57 and then? Where does he scores 5 fgs against him? What kind of bad stats is that

[Sign5]

This is being a bit overblown

you realize that Jimmy Butler was less aggressive with AD on him right? Do you think 5/11 says it all? Did you watch the **** game?

Eh not saying much, Jimmy gets passive regardless of who's guarding him. Probably one of his only flaws, as annoying as Marc jack/JVG are they're correct on the fact that Jimmy can be a lil too unselfish and defer to herro, nunn and focuses on getting duncan going rather than staying aggressive.

[LikeABosh]

This is being a bit overblown

He started 4 for 4 I believe. So he definitely locked him towards the end of the game. Great job by AD

[sca]

Relevant:

Watch on YouTube

[LAKESHOW]

Lakers playin chess, Heat playin Checkers. Heat had a gameplan to Muddy the Waters. And did not expect nor were they prepared for the total intimidation and Stoppage of AD stacked on top of Butler. We caught em off guard, and totally did not expect that maneuver.

[Homer38]

Giannis did not want to take this challenge

[Freighttrain]

AD did a great job in general on the defensive end, but guarding Jimmy Butler felt more like a team assignment more than anything. The Lakers put size on Jimmy, with both AD & LeBron guarding him. I would even go further and say that the most important adjustment was going way under those pick and rolls, forcing jimmy to either take the shot or go to the hole but have the same defender guarding him because of that. Jimmy chose option b, and he couldn't exploit the matchup like he previously did. If the Heat want to win, Jimmy will have to do what LeBron did in 2013 when the Spurs basically dared him to shoot and he responded. Jimmy has to take those shots.

[NO-KG-AI]

As much as I’m an AD>Giannis guy still, Giannis not guarding Jimmy was hardly the problem in that series, though I get people just want to take digs at the MVP.


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[Arp590]

This is being a bit overblown

Okay but that doesn't include all the shots that he declined to take or all the times he gave up the ball instead of trying to score.
So I'd say Anthony Davis did a solid job of limiting him.

[mack2354]

Jimmy isn't a good 3pt shooter and he knows it. Jimmy makes his money bullying weaker defenders driving to the rim getting either a high efficient shot at the rim or drawing a foul to get easy free throws. If he gets stopped on the way to the rim he either takes a mid range shot or passes the ball out. Some games the mid range goes for him and you see what you saw in game 3. Some games it doesn't and his offense looks like it belongs to a fringe all - star or high end starter.

Putting bigger, stronger defenders on him that are also quick enough to stay in front of him takes away his strength on offense. Anthony Davis can guard Jimmy because AD doesn't have to worry about Jimmy pulling up from 3 if he doesn't play him close on the perimeter. He just has to focus on not letting Jimmy get past him. AD WOULD NOT be able to guard Harden, Beal, C.J Mccollum, or Klay Thompson the way he's doing with Jimmy.

AD deserves credit for stepping up to the challenge in game 4 after Jimmy exploded in game 3 but I don't think AD should be put on a super high pedestal for holding Jimmy to 5-11. Jimmy's only options with AD is to force some tough shots over a long, great defender or take eight 3's a game. Jimmy's defense and hustle make him a sure fire all-star but he is limited as offensive player.

[The_Hater]

Why doesn’t Davis demand to guard real centers. Nope. He ain’t dumb. He doesn’t like to guard centers bigger than him who can post him up.

So sure. Go guard a 6 foot 7 guard/forward with short arms who likes to drive more than his shoots.

Your question would be equally silly if you asked why Embiid or Gobert don’t demand to guard perimeter players.

AD’s defensive strength is having the speed and versatility to guard perimeter players/fast players, not bang with Goliaths. That should be obvious from his build. People seem to have an obsession to turn the top players into something they’re not.

[BenoUdrihFTL]

But Mark Jackson told me during the game that LeBron took the Butler assignment

He was on him for much of the first half. Vogel even adjusted his rotation so he could be synced up to guard him. And he did a good job on him as well.

LeBron was on Butler for some of the first half, but was also switching off him similar to game 3. Regardless, Butler went 5-7 for 13 points in the first half before reverting to passive mode vs AD in the second half. AD's rim protection also stymied Butler whenever he was able to get a matchup with someone else. Mark Jackson's quote came in the 4th quarter and was something along the lines of "credit LeBron for doing the job guarding Butler"; it was just a bizarre comment and totally out of place given the context