Heat’s Jimmy Butler Says Overcoming 3-1 Deficit vs. Nuggets Is ‘Not Impossible’

There hasn’t been any quit in this Miami Heat team all postseason.

It’s what has taken them from being a plucky eighth seed all the way to the NBA Finals. And down 3-1 to the Denver Nuggets following a Game 4 loss at the Kaseya Center, nobody in Miami’s locker room is ready to give in now.

Especially Jimmy Butler.

“We got three [games] to get,” Butler said postgame. “It’s not impossible.”

As stacked as the odds may be against them, Butler and the Heat haven’t had anything easy or handed to them all year. An injury-plagued and inconsistent regular season saw them nearly miss out on the postseason entirely and then they had to knock out the title-favorite Milwaukee Bucks in the first round.

They nearly blew a 3-0 series lead against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals and had to go up to TD Garden and win a Game 7.

Adversity has been a part of this team’s DNA. So, at the very least, expect them to fight, whether they are able to come back and win the title or not.

And luckily for the Heat, they aren’t trying to accomplish something that’s never been done before. In 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers arguably had a bigger mountain to climb as they won the championship after falling behind 3-1 to the 73-9 Golden State Warriors, becoming the first team in NBA history to come back from that deficit in the Finals.

Seven years isn’t that long ago, and the Heat will have to use that as inspiration. Kevin Love was a member of that Cavs team in 2016 is now in Miami. He’ll surely be relied on heavily over the next few days to keep spirits high and minds focused.

This is the moment when the Heat will need their leaders more than ever. They’ll be happy to know their superstar isn’t showing any fear going into Denver.

Game 5 at Ball Arena is set for Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.