How Jimmy Butler's historic performances ended the top seed Buck’s season
Butler has scored 98 points on an absurd 60% shooting over the last two games to close out Milwaukee 4-1.
As of right now, it NEEDS to be pointed out that Miami’s MVP Jimmy Butler is playing like the best basketball player on the planet. The veteran All-NBA forward is on an absolute tear, and showcasing his talents on the biggest (nationally televised) stage. Games 4 and 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks has to go down as arguably the best 2-game stretch by a player in NBA playoff history.
He exploded for a career high 56 points and 9 rebounds on 19-28 shooting in game 4 in Miami. Rookie Nikola Jovic’s reaction said it all:
Butler then went on to follow that up with a 42 point and 8 rebound on 17/33 shooting performance in game 5 to close out the series and upset the top seed Bucks on the road.
What this man is doing is not human. Butler is currently playing at a better level than prime Miami Heat LeBron James from 2010-2014.
He denies that “playoff Jimmy” is a real thing, but with the way he elevates his game to a consistent MVP and All-Time level come post season year after year, it’s hard to believe him.
These offensive outbursts from Butler is not something Heat Nation isn’t used to. We’ve witnessed him carry the Heat through numerous deep playoff runs in both 2020 and 2022, where the team made the NBA Finals in that bubble year as a 5th seed and was just one single bucket away from returning to that Final’s stage last season.
Jimmy Butler is not a regular season player by any means. He’s still a bonafide All-Star talent all year long and can turn on that mode at any given moment whenever he wants. However, the second playoff basketball returns the man turns into a top NBA talent of All-Time.
Butler’s dominance isn’t just in the scoring department either. In these last 2 playoff games he has been able to score at will on ridiculously efficient shooting. He’s getting boards and still playmaking for other teammates, as well as being active defensively in one-on-one matchups and getting in the passing lanes for steals.
There is truly nothing this man can’t do, and in Butler’s own words he is simply just out there “hooping”.
In last night’s game specifically, he proved yet again that he is one bad man. The Bucks could’ve put Jrue Holiday, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kris Middleton, Bobby Portis on him and it didn’t even matter.
Holiday was chirping with Butler for majority of the night, but didn’t know any better that he indeed was poking the bear. Jimmy Buckets came through for Miami with multiple clutch shots after clutch shots late in the 4th and overtime.
Butler was the one who forced the game to overtime to begin with, as he had an insanely difficult tip in off a lob pass with just 2 seconds to go in the 4th. When he is in this mode, the man simply cannot be stopped.
The MVP of the Heat lead the team and got the job done and sent the Bucks home packing. Making them the first ever Play-In team to advance to the second round and just the sixth 8th seed team in NBA history to take down the number 1 seed in the 1st round of the playoffs.
Jimmy Butler looks like he is on a revenge tour, and after getting past the best team in the entire NBA in 5 games, championship hopes could now be a real thing again in sunny South Florida.
Even as an 8 seed, the Heat could have an advantage going forward in each round of these playoffs because they will always have the best player on the floor when healthy.
What Butler is doing needs to be talked about more, and the man deserves every single slightest bit of respect from both piers and fans of this league. Everybody is witnessing greatness right in front of their eyes.
Hopefully, the best is yet to come from Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.
The team will travel to Madison Square Garden to open a second round matchup against the New York Knicks on Sunday. Embrace being the underdog, Heat fans.
Brook Lopez is an unrestricted free agent!!! Hmmm! With Bam at PF, Butler at SF, Herro at SG and VanVleet at PG. Hmmm?
Come on, Jimmy. Go and get Udonis his fourth ring.