After missing a last-minute, potential Finals berth-clinching three against the Celtics in Game 7 of last year’s Eastern Conference finals, Jimmy Butler didn’t sulk. He didn’t watch the shot on a loop over the summer. He didn’t spend the offseason wondering “what if?” Instead, he told those close to him if he earned a similar opportunity next postseason, not only would he shoot that gutsy three again, next time he would make it.
On Monday, in his first truly tense, high-leverage game since the Boston shot, Butler delivered a whopping, incomprehensible 56 points—including two jaw-dropping pull-up jumpers late in the fourth—giving the Heat a 119–114 win and a 3–1 lead over the Bucks, pushing the NBA’s best regular-season team to the brink of elimination. And in the process, Butler showed he’s the current top dog in his conference, and perhaps in the entire postseason field.
Jimmy Buckets was sublime on Monday. He scored his 56 on only 28 shots. He went 15-of-18 from the free-throw line and 3-of-8 from three. Otherwise, he bullied his way into the paint or found a feathery touch on midrange Js and floaters. The degree of difficulty was incredibly high, as Butler was primarily matched up against the rugged Jrue Holiday. Butler gave everyone buckets, though, from Holiday to Giannis Antetokounmpo to Brook Lopez and anyone else between him and the rim. Despite being hounded by Holiday and surrounded by Milwaukee’s length, Butler shot 80%—once more, for emphasis, 80%—on his 20 two-point attempts.
