Jimmy Butler called TJ Warren 'soft' and 'trash' after an on-court feud ended with profanities, blown kisses, middle fingers, and an ejection
- Jimmy Butler and T.J. Warren got into a scuffle during the Miami Heat's Wednesday-night win over the Indiana Pacers.
- Late in the third quarter, Warren resorted to pulling on Butler's arm to prevent him from hitting an easy layup, and Butler responded by getting in Warren's face.
- Both players were given technicals for screaming profanities at one another, but Warren was ejected on the next play for taunting after his four-time NBA All-Star foe was whistled for an offensive foul.
- Butler blew him kisses goodbye, and Warren retaliated by flipping him the bird while walking to the locker room.
- After the game, Butler called Warren "soft," "trash," and "not even in my f------ league" before posting a provocative Instagram and tagging Warren in the caption.
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Jimmy Butler has never been shy about controversy, but even for him, Wednesday night's antics were an anomaly.
The four-time NBA All-Star got chippy with T.J. Warren throughout their contest at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, but things came to a head towards the end of the third quarter when Warren resorted to pulling on Butler's arm to prevent him from hitting an easy layup.
Butler spun around and immediately balled his right hand up into a fist before pushing his chest into Warren's and getting up in his face.
Some Twitter users - including The Ringer's Shea Serrano - speculated that, as the pair were separated, Butler yelled "You're f------ trash!" at Warren, who answered with "I'll beat your f------ ass!" Both Butler and Warren were whistled for technical fouls after the altercation.
One play later, Butler lowered his shoulder into Warren's chest just inside the arc and got called for an offensive foul. But when Warren celebrated by aggressively clapping in Butler's face, the refs whistled him for taunting and threw him out of the game.
Ever the instigator, Butler blew Warren kisses as he walked back to the locker room.
And Warren flipped him off in response.
Butler finished the night with 14 points, seven assists, and six rebounds as his Miami Heat went on to beat Warren's Indiana Pacers 122-108. And Butler did not mince his words in speaking with the press after the game about his various confrontations with Warren. He called the sixth-year forward "soft" and "trash" before threatening to "tear his ass up every time."
"He's not even in my f------ league, like, nowhere near me," Butler said. "If I was their coach, I would never put him on me ever again. Put somebody else on me."
"I think it's tough for him because I can guard him and he can't guard me," Butler added.
Butler added even more fuel to the fire by posting a photo of the Heat's schedule to his Instagram. He circled their next matchup against the Pacers and tagged Warren in the caption.
"Don't be mad you can't guard me," he wrote. "We will see what you about in March."
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