The Bucks were in control for nearly the entirety of Monday night’s Game 4 tussle with the Heat, looking to even the series at two games apiece. Then, Jimmy Butler took over.
Butler caught fire in one of the most prolific scoring performances in NBA playoff history, finishing the game with 56 points on 19-for-28 shooting to spark a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback, with Miami rallying for a 119–114 win to take a 3–1 series lead. Butler scored 22 points in the first quarter of the game and 21 in the fourth, adding nine rebounds.
THE JIMMY BUTLER SHOW 😱
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 25, 2023
(via @NBAonTNT)pic.twitter.com/vvq0puskM3
Butler’s 56 points are a career high in any game, the most in Heat history and tied for the fourth-most in NBA postseason history, trailing only Michael Jordan (63), Elgin Baylor (61) and Donovan Mitchell (57). It has the Heat in position to become the fifth No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the first round.
Butler’s heroics sent shockwaves throughout the basketball world, prompting strong responses from across the league. Check out the best of the bunch below.
PLAYOFF MF HIMMY BUTLER
— Joel “Troel” Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) April 25, 2023
Jimmy mf Butler!!!!!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥
— Victor Oladipo (@VicOladipo) April 25, 2023
Jimmy Butler becoming the GOAT as soon as the playoffs begin is crazy every time it happens pic.twitter.com/Cib9YJBBFq
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) April 25, 2023
Jimmy Butler tonight pic.twitter.com/XswXFjLZ0G
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 25, 2023
It’s not that Jimmy Butler has that dog in him, it’s that dogs have that Jimmy Butler in them
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) April 25, 2023
Himmy Butler. pic.twitter.com/P1YbjGQb3Q
— nba paint (@nba_paint) April 25, 2023
Seems like a good time to update the stat:
— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) April 25, 2023
Entering tonight, Jimmy Butler had five of the top 37 individual overall performances in the playoffs since 2000. After hanging 56 and 9 on the Bucks, it's about to be six of the top 38. An absolute superstar. https://t.co/2gH5iPC7fy https://t.co/UQOTcLH0fn
Jimmy Butler entered Game 4 shooting slightly above 60% from the field. He scored 56 on 28 shots Monday and *improved* his FG%.
— Rohan Nadkarni (@RohanNadkarni) April 25, 2023
He’s now averaging 36.5 PPG on 62.8% shooting in the playoffs.
Jimmy Butler may have just had the greatest playoff performance in Heat history, but it's still not as impressive as him charging $20 for small, medium and large coffees in the bubble. pic.twitter.com/pTTTqfpx1i
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) April 25, 2023