In a thrilling game, Jimmy Butler played a pivotal role in leading the Miami Heat to a come-from-behind victory against the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals. With this win, the Heat took a commanding 2-0 lead in the series, putting the Celtics in a challenging position as they aim to reach the NBA finals.
Butler, the standout player for Miami, had a stellar performance, scoring 27 points and leading the fourth-quarter fightback. Despite trailing by 11 points early in the final quarter and facing a nine-point deficit with under seven minutes remaining, the Heat showed resilience and determination to stage a comeback.
The victory in Boston's TD Garden not only gave Miami a significant advantage in the series but also demonstrated their ability to perform under pressure. The Celtics now face an uphill battle to bounce back and overcome the deficit if they hope to advance to the NBA finals.
The Eastern Conference finals between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics promises to be an exciting and closely contested series, with the Heat currently holding the upper hand after their impressive performance in Game 2.
But Butler led a sensational 20-9 Miami run in the final minutes of the fourth quarter that turned the game on its head and left his team just two wins away from returning to the NBA finals as the best-of-seven series heads to Miami for games three and four.
"We got some dogs, and I love it, I love every bit of it," an elated Butler said during an on-court interview after the Miami win.
"Guys never quit, guys never give up, we love playing with one another -- we got so much faith and trust in one another."
Nine of Butler's 27 points came during the fourth-quarter rally, with the Miami star fired up after an angry nose-to-nose exchange with Boston's Grant Williams midway through the fourth quarter.
At that stage in the game, Boston led 96-89, but Miami launched a devastating late run that turned the contest decisively in favor of the Heat.
Butler later admitted that Williams' apparent taunts had fuelled his inspired late contribution.
"Yes, it did," Butler replied when asked if he had been motivated by Williams' trash-talk.
"But that's just competition at its finest. He hit a big shot. Started talking to me; I like that. I'm all for that. It makes me key in a lot more. It pushes that will that I have to win a lot more.
"It makes me smile. It does. When people talk to me, I'm like, 'Okay, I know I'm a decent player, if you want to talk to me out of everybody that you can talk to.'
"But it's just competition. I do respect him, though. He's a big part of what they try to do. I just don't know if I'm the best person to talk to."
Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said his team's battling, never-say-die approach had been forged through the challenges of the regular season when they only just scraped into the playoffs.
"This year was really unique for all of us," Spoelstra said. "There's a beauty in the struggle. There's a beauty in that grind."
Butler received offensive support from Caleb Martin, with 25 points off the bench, while Bam Adebayo delivered another all-round effort with 22 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists.
Duncan Robinson added 15 points from the bench, including three three-pointers.
A shell-shocked Boston, meanwhile, were left reflecting on another shattering defeat at home despite 34 points from Jayson Tatum.
Jaylen Brown finished with 16 points but had a wayward shooting night, making only seven of 23 from the field, while Robert Williams III and Malcolm Brogdon had 13 points apiece.
Boston coach Joe Mazzulla blamed indiscipline and mental frailty for his team's defeat.
"It comes down to the details and the margins," Mazzulla said.
"This is a series of discipline and mindset. And there were times throughout the game where we weren't the more disciplined team."
Asked if he believed Boston's late collapse was "mental", Mazzulla agreed.
"It's mental from the standpoint of who can make the right plays at the right times, who can make the simple plays, who can win those details and those margins," Mazzulla said. "So, yeah, it's definitely mental."
Tatum, meanwhile, insisted that all was not lost despite Boston dropping the opening two games of the series on their home court.
"It's tough. It's a challenge. No point in being up here sad, right. They came in and won two games," Tatum said.
"They played well, you give them credit. But we're not dead or anything. I still have the utmost confidence, everybody has the utmost confidence."
Game three takes place in Miami on Sunday.
(With agencies inputs)
