Jimmy Buckets is activated.
Jimmy Butler delivered an impressive 56-point performance for the Miami Heat on Monday to lead an amazing rally past the Milwaukee Bucks and put the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference on the verge of elimination.
He opened the game with a 22-point fourth quarter that included 20 straight Heat points. He finished the run by driving a 12-point rally into the fourth quarter of a Heat hole to seal a 119-114 Miami win.
The win sealed a 3-1 series lead for the 8th-ranked Heat over the Bucks who finished the season with the best record in the NBA in the regular season. They scored the win as Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the ground after missing more than 2 matches with a back bruise.
Antetokounmpo looked no worse than injury as he scored a hat-trick, showing form that made him two-time MVP of the league. It wasn’t enough to beat a determined Butler, who continued to carry the Heat on his back, this time on a career-high tune-up and scored the Heat into the playoff.
Antetokounmpo set the tone early, scoring seven of Milwaukee’s first 10 points as the Bucks opened up a 10-3 lead. But Butler replied emphatically. Trailing in the heat 17-8, the six-time All-Star challenged Antetokounmpo outright and dunked on the All-Defensive Team member’s five count midway through the first quarter.
Dunk sparked Butler’s 20-point streak as he finished first with 22 of Miami’s 28 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field, including his own 3-point attempt.
But the Heat team is finished 25th in the league in offensive rating He was playing without Victor Oladipo and second top scorer Tyler Hero, who were sidelined with injuries. They struggled to support the six-time All-Star team against them Fourth league defense.
The Bucks led by five bucks after the first quarter despite Butler’s heroics. They held a 57-50 lead in the first half. Butler calmed down in the second with two points in the segment. Two-time All-Star Bam Adebayo only managed 2 points in the entire half from 1-of-4 from the field. Only six Heat players scored in the first period
Milwaukee extended its lead to 89-78 after three and appeared to be sailing on a decisive win that would tie the series 2-2. But Butler has other ideas.
Butler started the fourth quarter off the bench to rest for the final stretch. He got back into the game with 8:11 left and Milwaukee led, 98-87. From there, he would score 21 of his 56 points.
This is an urgent story that will be updated.
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