Miami Heat

Stephen A. Smith Couldn't Believe Jay Williams' Jimmy Butler Take

"It’s asinine stuff like this that drives me crazy," Smith said

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Stephen A. Smith couldn’t believe Jay Williams’ Jimmy Butler take originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The Denver Nuggets advanced past two all-time players to reach the NBA Finals, and two ESPN personalities disagree on if the team is now facing its toughest test yet.

The debate stemmed from an Aaron Gordon quote in which he said Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is a “different cover” than players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Gordon was responsible for guarding Durant throughout the Nuggets’ second-round series against the Phoenix Suns and defended James during the Nuggets’ sweep over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Butler entered the Finals after earning the Larry Bird Trophy as the most valuable player in Miami’s Eastern Conference Finals triumph over the Boston Celtics.

Ahead of Thursday’s Game 1, Jay Williams lauded Butler with praise that left Stephen A. Smith distraught.

“Yes. This year he is,” he said when asked on “First Take” if Butler is harder to guard than James and Durant. “There’s no doubt about it.”

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The tape-delayed shrug from Smith says it all, but that didn’t stop him from going off on Williams.

“It’s asinine stuff like this that drives me crazy because the man knows basketball,” Smith said. “[Williams] says stuff just to rile me up. This was a shot at Stephen A. He knew that he was going to get on my nerves with this answer. … He lives to do this, ladies and gentlemen.”

The Nuggets went on to cool off Butler and the Heat in a dominant Game 1 win. Butler shot 6-for-14 overall and tallied just 13 points, as the Heat were held to a playoff-low 93 points.

Butler will get a chance to turn things around against Gordon and the Nuggets in Sunday’s Game 2.

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