2020 NBA Finals: Former Sixer Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat Stay Alive

Jimmy Butler's departure to South Beach continues to haunt the Philadelphia 76ers. Just last season, Butler was one of a handful of stars for the Sixers. When it came to the playoffs, Butler was in his own tier of stardom on the 76ers, though, as he was the team's most reliable closer.

Unfortunately, the Sixers couldn't advance past the eventual NBA Champions, the Toronto Raptors in the second round. Considering they were quite close, many wanted the Sixers to run it back with the same team for the 2019-2020 NBA season.

But the Sixers failed to lock Butler in with a max contract for a handful of reasons. In the end, it didn't work out, so both parties separated. The Sixers traded Butler to the Miami Heat and, in exchange, received Josh Richardson.

At this point, it's obvious which team benefitted the most. The Sixers, who underwhelmed by earning the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference this year, were swept in four games by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Butler led the Heat to the NBA Finals after putting on several dominating performances against the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Boston Celtics. Earlier this week, Butler surpassed the Sixers' entire team in total scoring in the playoffs. While it seemed that would end up becoming some sort of consolation prize for Jimmy, as his team fell into a 1-3 hole against the Los Angeles Lakers, Butler and the Heat are far from finished in this series.

On Friday night, the Heat and the Lakers battled for Game 5. With a victory, the Lakers could've finally ended life in the bubble as champions. However, Butler and the Heat were ready to fight to see another day. It wasn't an easy matchup by any stretch, but Miami managed to crank out another win, bringing the series to 3-2.

Butler, who appeared on the court for 47 minutes of action, wasn't going out in five games. The former Sixers star notched himself a triple-double with a team-high of 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists in the 111-108 victory over the Lakers. As Miami fights to see another game, the Heat and the Lakers will square off for Game 6 on Sunday night.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_