“Everybody is like, ‘We have a 3% chance of making the Finals, but when he sent me that, I knew we were making the Finals, because he didn’t say ’IF we make the Finals’ - he said ‘WHEN we make the Finals.’” Miami wound up losing its opener in that round to the Atlanta Hawks, but then did manage to beat the Chicago Bulls three days later to get into the playoffs as the East’s No.

That second ticket offer came before the Heat were assured of extending their season their record was only good enough to get them into the play-in round for a full-fledged playoff berth. Looking back on the exchange, Gauff was fascinated by the timing. “And then he said, ‘OK, when we make the Finals, let me know if your family wants some tickets.’ So this was before we were even in the playoffs.” I’ll be in Madrid and then Rome and then France,’” she recounted, mentioning the sites of tournaments. Later, he sent her a direct message to ask whether she wanted seats for the postseason, too. 6 in women’s tennis, said Butler offered her tickets to see the Heat’s last regular-season game in early April. “I will save it for another day.”įollowing a comeback victory in her first-round match at Roland Garros on Tuesday, which was about 12 hours after the Heat beat the Celtics 103-84 in Game 7 of the East Finals, Gauff told the tale involving the guy known as “Jimmy Buckets.” PARIS (AP) - To hear tennis star Coco Gauff tell it, basketball star Jimmy Butler assured her his Miami Heat would make it to the NBA Finals before they were guaranteed of so much as participating in the playoffs.īefore the French Open began, 2022 runner-up Gauff - who lives in South Florida and is an avid Heat fan, one who uses the pronoun “we” when talking about the team - mentioned that she had “a funny story about Jimmy Butler, but I’m going to save it” until Miami was done playing in the Eastern Conference finals.

Tennis star and avid Heat fan Coco Gauff (right) says Jimmy Butler told her in April that Miami would reach the NBA Finals.

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