Erik Spoelstra Slams Payton Pritchard Over ‘Dirty’ Play Hurting Jimmy Butler

Miami Heat head coach Erik Erik Spoelstra is still irked over a play involving Boston’s Payton Pritchard and Jimmy Butler during Game 3.

During the game, Butler suffered a knee injury, and was forced to miss the remainder of the winning affair. But as the play was being directed by fans and media members alike, Pritchard caught a ton of flak for his role in sidelining the Heat star.

When watching the play closely, it appeared that Payton Pritchard grabbed Jimmy Butler’s knee after being tripped up while playing defense.

Check it out:

Dirty play by Payton Pritchard ?

(h/t @AhnFireDigital ) pic.twitter.com/zz5VaE0FKG

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) May 23, 2022

When speaking to the media prior to Game 4 on Monday, Erik Spoelstra called out Payton Pritchard, claiming the move was not a ‘basketball play’.

The #Heat took exception to play #Celtics guard Payton Pritchard made on Jimmy Butler.

"Not a basketball play," Heat coach Erik Spolestra told reporters. https://t.co/WeE06VsSxm

— USA TODAY Sports+ (@USATSportsPlus) May 23, 2022

While Erik Spoelstra spent some time airing his frustrations with Payton Pritchard, he’s ready to move on from the whole thing, claiming he’s not going to ‘beg’ the league to get involved.

“We’re not going to say it’s bigger than it was because we don’t know what triggered Jimmy’s injury,” Spoelstra said. “Regardless, it should be two separate examples. We don’t need it (penalty for Pritchard from the league). We don’t care. The league doesn’t have to do anything. We’re not begging.”

Erik Spoelstra would go on to say that the team is looking to have Jimmy Butler back on the floor for tonight’s game at the TD Garden.

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