Jimmy Bucket is activated.
Jimmy Butler put on an astonishing 56-point show in the Miami Heat on Monday, overtaking the Milwaukee Bucks to lead a spectacular rally and put the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference on the brink of elimination.
He started the game with a 22-point fourth quarter, including 20 consecutive heat points. He led the rally from a 12-point 4th quarter heat hole to finish with a 119-114 victory for Miami.
The win secured the 8th-seeded Heat a 3-1 series lead over the Bucks team, which finished the season with the NBA’s best regular-season record. They scored the win with Giannis Antetokounmpo returning to the floor after missing more than two games with a back bruise.
Antetokounmpo looks good despite injury while recording a triple-double, showing form that has made him a two-time league MVP. It wasn’t enough to overcome the determined Butler who kept the Heat on his back.
Antetokounmpo set the tone early and scored 7 of Milwaukee’s first 10 points as the Bucks extended a 10-3 lead. But Butler answered emphatically. His heat was tied at his 17-8, the 6th inning All-Star challenged Antetokounmpo directly, and midway through the first quarter he dunked his member of the 5th All-Defensive Team.
The dunk sparked Butler’s 20th straight heat point streak, as he shot 9-of-10 from the field, scoring 22 of Miami’s 28 points, and scored on two 3-point attempts. Successful.
But the heat team is over The offensive rating is 25th in the league They were playing without Victor Oladipo and second-place scorer Tyler Herro. They struggled to support a six-time All-Star 4th highest rated defense in the league.
Despite Butler’s heroism, the Bucks led by 5 after the first quarter. They brought a 57-50 lead at halftime. Butler scored two points in the stanza and finished second sober. Center bum his Adebayo, who has been named to the All-Star twice, saw him manage just two points throughout the first half in his 4-1 effort from the field.Only six Heat players scored before halftime
Milwaukee extended their lead to 89-78 at 3 and appeared to be cruising for an important victory that tied the series at 2-2. But Butler had another idea.
Butler started the fourth quarter on the bench and rested for the final stretch. He rejoined the game with 8:11 remaining, with Milwaukee leading 98–87. From there, he scored 21 of his 56 points.
This is an updated bulletin.
