Untenable, Jimmy Butler planted 56 points to allow the Heat to overthrow (119-114) the Bucks and lead 3-1 in their series of the 1st round of the NBA play-offs, the Lakers taking the same advantage against the Grizzlies ( 117-111 a.p.) Monday.
“To win this victory, in this way, in this atmosphere, it’s huge”, reacted the hero of Miami. “But the job is not finished. We don’t want to rest on our laurels, we still have a game to win.”
In the meantime, the 33-year-old winger has hit hard, breaking his personal record for points in the play-offs and establishing that of a franchise where neither LeBron James nor Dwyane Wade nor Shaquille O’Neal, all crowned champions with the Heat by the past, have not been able to do as well. In NBA history, only Michael Jordan (63 pts), Elgin Baylor (61 pts) and Donovan Mitchell (57 pts) have done better.
Butler certainly has the best performance of his career as, beyond the dizzying numbers, he single-handedly reversed a highly compromised situation.
Because the Bucks, taking advantage of the return from injury of Giannis Antetokounmpo, author of a triple-double (26 pts, 13 assists, 10 rebounds), were 14 units ahead at the start of the fourth quarter, before finally collapse (41-25), unable to contain “Jimmy Buckets” (Jimmy baskets).
His 21 points in the final period, including 9 consecutive in 57 seconds, just after putting the Heat ahead for the first time with 3 min 17 sec remaining, knocked out Milwaukee, who thought he was in control of the game.
Especially since Butler seemed to be tired halfway through, after a fiery first quarter. The winger had indeed managed to keep the Heat afloat, despite a cannon start from the Bucks leading quickly by 12 lengths, with 22 points at 9/10 on shots. In fact, he was lonely in attack, in the absence of Tyler Herro with a finger injury, Bam Adebayo being limited to 15 points (8 rebounds).
This gives hope to Milwaukee, first in the regular season in the East, the possibility of a resurrection if Miami can only rely on one-man shows from its star.
Because the 2021 champion, now forced to win the next three matches to qualify, will necessarily prepare an anti-Butler plan on Wednesday at home. It will also be necessary that the lieutenants of Antetokounmpo, certainly restored after having missed the two previous meetings due to a bruise in the lower back, are in tune.
Apart from Brook Lopez, strong and efficient (36 pts, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks), Jrue Holiday (14 pts), clumsy behind the arc (2/11) and Khris Middleton (14 pts, 8 assists), exceeded defensively, have been below their level.
In the West, the Lakers also put the Grizzlies on the edge of the precipice, after a tight, intense and bitter N.4 match, which turned in favor of the Californians when LeBron James decided.
His basket in penetration eight tenths from the buzzer snatched the extension, while Memphis thought he had done the hardest by taking the advantage six seconds earlier, by Desmond Bane, excellent (36 pts), on a pass from Ja Morant ( 19 points). The latter was then blocked on the last attempt, by Anthony Davis, much more solid in defense (11 rebounds, 4 blocks) than in attack (12 pts at 4/13). And in the “overtime”, the stainless “LBJ”, 38 years old and the rage to win by no means satisfied, finished the job by scoring 6 of the 13 points of his team. He finished with 22 checkers and 20 rebounds.
The last to have managed 20 and 20 in the play-offs under the jersey of the Lakers is Shaquille O’Neal, and he was 32 years old in 2004. James also pushed Morant into the offensive foul twice in the second half. Defensive actions that put the Lakers back in the saddle having left Memphis to clear 15 lengths behind to count 7 ahead in the last quarter.
Whereupon, D’Angelo Russell engaged with three banderillas at long distance, to put L.A. in front (99-97), before a “Hitchcockian” outcome that put the Californians one victory away from the conference semi-finals.
