Heat’s Kevin Love Jokingly Describes Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry as ‘Assh–es’

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Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry developed a strong friendship long before they became teammates two seasons ago, a bond that is evident to their teammates.

“They just have an understanding,” Kevin Love told ESPN’s Nick Friedell regarding the pair. “Their relationship, I don’t know how much time you’ve seen them interact, but they just have a true understanding of one another and a special relationship. They obviously would never say that ’cause they’re both assh–es, but no, they truly are high-level thinkers, competitors and Hall of Famers.”

“It’s no coincidence when you got a relationship off the basketball court of respect and friendship, it just makes it easier to build a relationship,” Udonis Haslem added. “… Their families hang out, their kids hang out, they spend time together. That allows them to be on the same page when they get on the basketball court.”

The result has been the pair helping lead the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals, albeit where they find themselves in a 3-1 hole against the Denver Nuggets. Beating two-time MVP Nikola Jokić and his talented cast of talented teammates three times in a row is no small task, but Butler and Lowry have helped establish a culture of mental toughness in Miami.

“I think they both have a leadership style that if you’re not going to meet us all the way there, then we don’t want to go to war with you,” Love said. “So they make you get all the way there with them and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to compete every single game and we’re coming out to win.'”