Jimmy Butler's Big Game Conjures Memories of LeBron James in 2012
After the Heat’s Game 5 loss to the Boston Celtics, many had the Miami Heat all but out of the run for the NBA Finals.
Fans and analysts were saying that Jimmy Butler would need to simulate LeBron James’ 2012 Game 6 in the Eastern Conference Finals against the same team.
Butler did all that and more.
In a game where Miami needed everything from their superstar, Butler had a career performance. Butler shot 16 of 29 and finished with 47 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals. It was his fourth 40-point game this postseason.
Butler also made 4 of 8 from the 3-point line, making more three-pointers than he did throughout the entire series. He is the second player in NBA history to have multiple games in a series with at least four steals and 40-plus points. The first was Michael Jordan in 1988.
Most Heat wins in this series have been capitalized off subpar performances by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. However, the two combined for 50 points and were efficient throughout the matchup. This shows that the Heat outdueled Boston offensively, which is something that was seen as nearly impossible given their recent offensive performances.
Butler has been headlined as a player facing a postseason decline due to a knee injury he suffered in Game 3. There were concerns that the Heat would not be able to contest with Boston if Butler continued to play the way he did. He laid rest to these concerns, putting up the second-most points by a Heat player in postseason history.
Like James, Butler was expected to produce regardless of the production from his teammates. While he did have some help from players like P.J. Tucker and Kyle Lowry, Butler was the ultimate reason that the Heat will live to play another postseason matchup. He talked about the mentality he developed going into this game.
“I think the majority of it comes from the work that I put in,” Butler said. “I do give Chris Brickley a lot of credit for that. Every city I’m in he’s always flying in and out of it. But if it’s not because of him, it’s because of Kyle, my coaches, and my teammates. Letting me know to be aggressive and go out there to be the best player on the floor. I just gotta remember that every time I take the floor.”
Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jayden.armant@bison.howard.edu or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.
