Butler's Record Setting Performance Spoils Antetokounmpo's Return, Lifts Heat to 3-1 Lead Over Bucks
Jimmy Butler scored a Miami Heat playoff single game record 56 points as the Heat overcame the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 119-114 and take a 3-1 lead in their first round playoff series. Butler, who also set his personal single game career high (regular season and playoffs), shot 19-28 from the field (including 3-8 from three point range) and 15-18 from the free throw line while grabbing nine rebounds and committing just one turnover. He poured in 22 first quarter points to keep the Heat within striking distance, and then he scored 21 fourth quarter points to lead a spirited Heat comeback. Only three other Heat players scored in double figures: Bam Adebayo (15 points), Caleb Martin (12 points), and Gabe Vincent (10 points).
The Miami Heat have had some great players and some great individual performances. LeBron James' masterful games during the Heat's back to back championship runs in 2012 and 2013, and Dwayne Wade's sensational games in the 2006 NBA Finals are the most significant individual games in franchise history. However, in terms of single game excellence an argument could be made that Butler just authored the greatest playoff game in franchise history, scoring nearly half of his team's points to lead an eighth seeded team missing its third leading scorer (the injured Tyler Herro, who averaged 20.1 ppg during the regular season) to a win against the top seeded team that is now at full strength.
Brook Lopez scored a team-high and playoff career-high 36 points, helping the Bucks to outscore the Heat 54-40 in the paint. Antetokounmpo had a triple double (26 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds) as he returned to action after missing games two and three (and most of game one) due to a bruised back, but he committed six turnovers and he seemed to wear down in the fourth quarter, when he managed just three points on 1-4 field goal shooting while grabbing no rebounds.
The undersized Heat outrebounded the Bucks 47-46. Without the benefit of extra possessions, it became imperative for the Bucks to shoot a high percentage--but they shot just .433 from the field.
The Bucks led by as many as 15 points and seemed to be on the verge of tying this series at 2-2 before playing game five at home, but Butler saved the day for the Heat in the fourth quarter. The Bucks enjoyed a 98-85 lead after Lopez' dunk on an Antetokounmpo feed with 8:56 remaining in regulation. Butler checked back into the game at the 8:11 mark, and scored 21 of the Heat's final 27 points.
No Play-In Tournament team has ever won a playoff series, but the Heat now have three opportunities to win one game, eliminate the number one overall seeded Bucks, and advance to the second round.
Labels: Brook Lopez, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks
posted by David Friedman @ 1:38 AM
2 Comments:
Amazing post-series quotes from Giannis, https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/36301434/giannis-antetokounmpo-says-bucks-early-exit-not-failure
Giannis claims he wanted to guard JB more, but never says that he actually asked the Coach
to do so. With his stature, he could've asked. Empty words from Giannis.
He says Miami was playing to beat them, whereas Bucks were playing for a championship (last line of article). What does that even mean? It was a first round series. Gibberish from Giannis.
He invokes Jordan's playoff record; how many times did Jordan lose as a 1 seed in the 1st round? Same # of times he lost as a 1 seed in any round, right? (Zero.) More meaningless words from G.
Giannis seems typical of many cohorts in self-absorption, cluelessness. His words fit with his attempted fake triple double earlier this year. He has no idea of the nonsense messages he sends when he talks (or goes for fake stats). A quarter billion in salary doesn't buy what it used to.
Shame on me for not including JB with Jokic as big stars without head issues. I just didn't know Miami had this in them this year. And unlike Jokic, JB is a two-way player. I guess I could pull for him -- and certainly compared to the other players.
--J
J:
With all of the nonsense going on in the NBA and all of the players who are overrated, is Giannis really the player who most offends you?
Which active players in the NBA would you take over Giannis? There is no one in the league now who I would rather build my team around. Jokic is great at many things but he is not the defensive player that Giannis is. You could argue for Durant in his prime, but now he is older and injury-prone, and the same is true of LeBron. Would you really take Embiid?
No one else even deserves mentioning.
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