“Whoever they put on Jimmy, Jimmy just torched them. The last resort to me was for Giannis” - Former Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell says Milwaukee should have let Antetokounmpo guard Butler

Jimmy Butler was the difference-maker when the Miami Heat ousted the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.

Butler toyed with his defenders and finished the series with an eye-popping average of 37.6 points a game.

The 13-year veteran scored a franchise playoff-record 56 points when the Heat nipped the Bucks in Game 4, 119-114.

The Bucks couldn't stop Butler

Butler continued his onslaught in Game 5, where he pumped in 42 points in their series-clinching 128-126 overtime win on Wednesday night.

Butler toyed with the Bucks' defense, but what people didn't see was the Heat star being defended by Giannis Antetokounmpo.

According to former NBA Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell, putting Giannis on Butler, especially in the crucial Game 5, may have done wonders for the Bucks.

Interviewed by reporters shortly after their Game 5 loss, Giannis said he wanted to defend Butler but didn't get the green light from the coaches. Giannis should have insisted, Mitchell said.

"I'm sorry, when you're the best player, there are times you can knock on the coach's door and do it as a coach, and the coach will gonna say yeah," Mitchell said.

With Miami down by two with 2.1 seconds left in regulation, coach Erik Spoelstra drew up a play that Butler didn't like.

Giannis on Jimmy was a must

Butler then persuaded Spoelstra to run an alley-oop play for him. Butler didn't disappoint when he converted an alley-oop layup that forced overtime.

"Just like Jimmy. He didn't like that play, but what Jimmy said? "Just get somebody to throw it, and I'll get it." When you're the best player, ask for something, you gotta trust him and give it to him," said Mitchell, a former Milwaukee assistant coach.

Mitchell said the Bucks even paid the price for giving Jrue Holiday the arduous task of guarding Butler.

"It took away his offense trying to guard Butler for the whole game; it took away his decision-making. He got tired," said Mitchell.

Mitchell also said the Bucks were in desperate times, and putting Giannis on Butler was the desperate measure they needed.

"My opinion, why Giannis didn't ask to guard Jimmy Butler. Whoever they put on Jimmy, Jimmy just torched them. The last resort to me was for Giannis… who's the best defender in the league, arguably the best player," Mitchell said.