Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler led the way with a career-high 47 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals on 16 of 29 from the field. Kyle Lowry also stepped up with 18 points and 10 assists. Heat made 15 3-pointers, including a number of extremely difficult ...

First, a sharp pass to find Al Horford for a game-tying 3, then another 3 of his own from the corner to put the Celtics in front. The Celtics came into Friday night's Game 6 with a chance to close out the series and advance to the Finals for the first time since 2010. Alas, it went to waste because the Celtics couldn't hold on down the stretch. They knocked down 15 3-pointers, which was their most in a game this series and second-most in the entire playoffs, and shot 46.2 percent from the field. The good news from the Celtics' perspective is these are fixable problems, and they've shown an ability to bounce back in the playoffs. White has stepped up in numerous spots when Marcus Smart has been out of the lineup due to injuries and gives them another defensive-minded guard who can handle the ball and get others involved. The very first play of the game was a bad pass from Jayson Tatum, and they finished with 17 turnovers that led to 23 points for the Heat. Once again, the formula is pretty simple: if the Celtics take care of the ball, they win. They only scored six points the rest of the way, and four of those were at the free-throw line. They looked like they were out of gas and out of answers against an elite Celtics defense, and there was little reason to expect things would turn around in Game 6. LeBron James did not let that happen, as he put together his famous "Game 6" performance, finishing with 45 points, 15 rebounds and five assists to crush the Celtics' dreams. After being a no-show for the past few games, he was flat-out tremendous in this one. Butler also had plenty of help as Kyle Lowry turned in one of his best games of the postseason finishing with 18 points, 10 assists and four boards before ultimately fouling out.

Jimmy Butler is the rare guy in NBA history who isn't a top 5 overall player but in a playoff setting can take his game to a top 5 overall level… Who in the ...

– We’ll see if that’s sustainable but this is a great start for Miami. –9:04 PM Anthony Chiang@ Anthony_Chiang –11:27 PM Michael Lee@ MrMichaelLee (Actually, win or lose, he gets to go home.) –9:11 PM Gary Washburn@ GwashburnGlobe Jimmy Butler is recreating the LeBron James game from 10 years ago. In fact, no other Heat player has even had three 40-point games in a single playoff run.pic.twitter.com/ObSMWbavlv– 11:28 PM Chris Palmer@ ChrisPalmerNBA And we’re going to win the next one too.” –11:32 PM Ira Winderman@ IraHeatBeat We’ll see if that’s sustainable but this is a great start for Miami. – (Actually, win or lose, he gets to go home.) – Both Rob Williams and Jimmy Butler stayed in after the timeout. Jimmy Butler is recreating the LeBron James game from 10 years ago. And we’re going to win the next one too.” –

The Boston Celtics haven't been to the NBA Finals since 2010 when they lost to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games.

With Herro potentially back in the lineup for Miami, the Celtics are going to have to put together their best team effort of the year to avoid what would be the most disappointing C’s loss since that Game 7 against the Lakers back in 2010. The Warriors can now sit back and watch the Celtics and the Heat beat each other up in what will assuredly be a physical Game 7. Well, according to calculations from The Ringer, they were predicted to win the series 83% of the time heading into the game. They committed countless unforced turnovers, picked up brutal fouls and allowed Miami to race to an early double-digit lead that forced them to play from behind for the vast majority of the game. The Boston Celtics haven’t been to the NBA Finals since 2010 when they lost to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Considering that they have been to the Eastern Conference Finals six times since then, it’s understandable if they thought that they were overdue.

The Miami Heat are not done yet. Thanks to Jimmy Butler's monster performance on the road in Game 6, there will be a Game 7 back in Miami on Sunday.

Teams with Game 7 at home are historically favored to win, which now places Miami at an advantage that perhaps seemed impossible following their Game 5 loss. With this win, the Heat gain not only another chance, but a significant amount of momentum as well. The Miami Heat are not done yet.

With the Miami Heat pushed to the brink, Jimmy Butler came up with his greatest postseason masterpiece yet. The NBA world had to react.

His big-time performance puts the Miami Heat in the driver’s seat with home-court advantage. But even with those gaudy numbers visible on the box score, his play somehow seemed even louder than the stat sheet suggests as he connected on big shot after big shot. Jimmy Butler was not ready to go home.

Jimmy Butler set a personal playoff high with 47 points and contributed nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals to lead the Miami Heat to a 111-1...

Boston hit 44.4 percent of its shots and was 11 of 33 from behind the arc. Victor Oladipo and Strus canned back-to-back 3-pointers to cap the run. Boston’s Al Horford buried with a trey to tie it at 94 with 5:31 left. Miami was 24 of 25 from the free-throw line. Tucker made three of four free throws during a 20-second span to make it a six-point margin with 1:25 left. Butler had scored just 27 points over the previous three games before erupting during a must-win situation in Game 6.

For Boston, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown did all they could to lead the Celtics to their first Finals berth since 2010 but, in the end, it wasn't enough that ...

First, a sharp pass to find Al Horford for a game-tying 3, then another 3 of his own from the corner to put the Celtics in front. The Celtics came into Friday night's Game 6 with a chance to close out the series and advance to the Finals for the first time since 2010. Alas, it went to waste because the Celtics couldn't hold on down the stretch. They knocked down 15 3-pointers, which was their most in a game this series and second-most in the entire playoffs, and shot 46.2 percent from the field. The good news from the Celtics' perspective is these are fixable problems, and they've shown an ability to bounce back in the playoffs. White has stepped up in numerous spots when Marcus Smart has been out of the lineup due to injuries and gives them another defensive-minded guard who can handle the ball and get others involved. The very first play of the game was a bad pass from Jayson Tatum, and they finished with 17 turnovers that led to 23 points for the Heat. Once again, the formula is pretty simple: if the Celtics take care of the ball, they win. They only scored six points the rest of the way, and four of those were at the free-throw line. They looked like they were out of gas and out of answers against an elite Celtics defense, and there was little reason to expect things would turn around in Game 6. LeBron James did not let that happen, as he put together his famous "Game 6" performance, finishing with 45 points, 15 rebounds and five assists to crush the Celtics' dreams. After being a no-show for the past few games, he was flat-out tremendous in this one. Butler also had plenty of help as Kyle Lowry turned in one of his best games of the postseason finishing with 18 points, 10 assists and four boards before ultimately fouling out.

Battling a knee injury and playing with a depleted roster, Butler put out a potentially pivotal performance in Game 6.

He just has a flair for the moment. Meanwhile the Celtics have to believe that Smart has a better game in him and Grant Williams won’t collect more fouls (four) than points (two) again. They took Games 4 and 6 in Milwaukee to win the last series. He got to the basket. With 41 seconds left he drilled a 20-footer with the shot clock expiring to swell it to six. He just knows how to manage a game.” He finished at the rim. The rest of the way, Butler was magnificent. Midway through the first quarter, Butler knocked down his first three. He made 50% of his threes. He made 55% of his shots. The Heat lost.

With most of the NBA world believing the Heat were done, Butler rose up to force a Game 7 in Miami.

This steadiness amid turmoil showed in Butler and the rest of the team. Kyle Lowry showed up on the court three and a half hours before tipoff to try to loosen his ailing hamstring and then gutted his way to 18 points and 10 assists. Over the course of a long series like this, you're going to get pushed, uncomfortably so. There was a light in Spoelstra's eyes and a confidence in his demeanor. Even as the Heat wheezed through losses in Games 4 and 5, struggling to crack 80 points. After aggravating his knee in Game 3 of this series -- he has been battling an IT band issue throughout the playoffs -- Butler was a shell of himself. "You can mis-define him in a lot of different ways, but his competitive will is as high as anybody that has played this game. Instantly another message was apparent: Butler was back -- and so were the Heat. LeBron James' icy stare in the iconic first quarter of his 45-point masterpiece to win Game 6 in Boston in 2012. Marcus Smart, the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year, and Derrick White, the would-be hero of a comeback, watched as Butler soared into the air. By the middle of Game 5, the Celtics' defense openly admitted what anyone watching could see as Boston backed off him and paid attention to others: Butler wasn't a threat. "I want to play basketball the right way.

The Boston Celtics were one win away from the N.B.A. finals. After Butler's 47-point Game 6 performance, the Miami Heat are, too.

His performance as a whole evoked memories of 2012, when LeBron James scored 45 points to lead the visiting Heat to a Game 6 win over the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. As a team, the Heat made five 3-pointers in the first quarter, which was especially impressive considering they had gone 7 of 45 from 3-point range in Game 5. And Butler, still in search of his first championship, seems determined to make his own mark. The Heat proceeded to win Game 7 to advance to the finals, then won it all. Spoelstra would know, having coached the Heat to two titles and five finals appearances. “The same thing every single day.” He said he had been uplifted by a pregame phone call from Dwyane Wade, the former Heat guard. “He looked at us, didn’t say a word,” Tucker recalled. They mishandled the assignment, leaving Butler with a clear path to the hoop, and he pounced, driving for a layup and absorbing contact for good measure. They had lost Game 5 by 13 points while shooting 31.9 percent — at home, no less, where their fans shuffled out of the arena wondering whether they would see the team again this season. By the time he cradled the basketball outside the 3-point line late in the fourth quarter, taking a half-beat to survey the landscape before him, he carried himself with a certain air of inevitability: Was there any doubt what would happen next? He did so on an ailing right knee after two of the roughest games of his career.

The Sporting News tracked live updates and highlights from throughout Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

12 p.m. — Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro is listed as questionable ahead of Game 6. Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals will tip off around 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 27. Boston is 10 of 10 from the charity stripe early on. At the end of three, Miami holds on to a seven-point lead after a 34-point third quarter. 8:50 p.m. — The Heat have come to play. Outside of that duo? Jayson Tatum is coming alive and is up to 16 points in the game, outscoring the Heat 9-3 himself in the quarter. After the Celtics briefly took the lead, the Heat respond and lead 61-56 with 7:07 remaining in the third. Butler is up to 33 points on the night and is a perfect 8 of 8 from the free throw line. Butler is up to 45 points in the game with a ridiculous turnaround jumper in the corner. 29 29

"They made some crazy shots," Boston's Jaylen Brown said in defeat.

The Celtics started the third quarter on a 22-12 run, and after White had created a kick out 3 for Al Horford and then knocked down a corner 3 himself, it looked like another Heat possession had gone nowhere. Then, late in the clock, he instructed Victor Oladipo to cut down the middle and sprung open for a deep catch-and-shoot 3: Jayson Tatum had made a floater on the previous possession, and then White, defending Butler in isolation, slapped the ball out of his hands and out of bounds. Another part is "sometimes he'll just make a big-time play at the end of the clock, something that he's never maybe practiced on or attempted before. Part of that is running the offense and getting the ball where it needs to go. The Heat had lost by eight points, but Spoelstra thought that they were in a decent position down the stretch, if only Philadelphia hadn't made so many "crippling" plays.

The Celtics couldn't withstand Jimmy Butler and the Heat in Game 6 on Friday, as the Heat forced a Game 7 at FTX Arena in Miami. Read more on Boston.com.

“They responded to every time we made a run, every time we got close, every time we went up,” Brown said. It’s a 10 out of 10 in my confidence level and the group. Brown missed both of his free throws, however, and Butler went the length of the floor to score plus a foul. We know how much this means to everybody.” For a role player, there’s a whole lot to be said for that. He claimed he didn’t know that people had counted the Heat out and that the only people he listens to are people in the organization. We got to play.” “Because he knows better than anybody we still got to play the game. He got to the free-throw line. “Draymond broke the code,” Haslem said. 2. We should also add that the Draymond Green thing is real: The Heat were annoyed that the Warriors’ star declared their team dead in the water. “Jimmy Butler is a great competitor; he really is,” Spoelstra added.

BOSTON — P.J. Tucker, Markieff Morris and Jimmy Butler had a conversation in the Miami Heat locker room before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on ...

When we really needed it, as their defense stepped up, as the game got to four, six, he found a way to get us a really important bucket." "Sometimes, you just need your best players and your guy to make plays," Spoelstra said. Butler and the Heat were not finished. Butler’s performance conjured memories of another brilliant Game 6 road performance by a Heat player in this arena. I want to play basketball the right way," he said. Butler barely had 20 points in the three previous games: 13, six and eight and he missed the second half of Game 3 with right knee inflammation. "Just matching his intensity from the start wasn't there," Celtics coach Ime Udoka said. He accounted via scoring and assists for 24 of Miami’s 29 points in the first quarter. This was an impressive win for the Heat with Tyler Herro (strained left groin) missing his third consecutive game. "I want to win. We need 50 tonight," Tucker said, relaying the story to reporters. "Jimmy just brought his competitive will tonight," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

BOSTON — In the NBA playoffs, the games need a good story. Without one, they are merely matchups that tip off too late and drag on through too-long ...

And there’s no Jay-Z shout-out to “Jackson … Tyson … Jordan — Game 6″ if Michael Jordan doesn’t hit that championship-clinching jumper against the Utah Jazz in 1998. We don’t get the indelible image of LeBron, hunched forward and eyes menacing, if he doesn’t first save the Heat against Boston in Game 6 of the 2012 conference finals. Overwriting their mistakes with his own story, Butler showed up on the next Miami possession, swooping in from near the right baseline and scoring through Al Horford’s foul. A win and Tatum and Brown would’ve elevated into the rare green air of Celtic lore. With that kind of build up, the audience could further delight in the conclusion: Butler’s sensational night, scoring a playoff career-high 47 points, to go with nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals — on the Boston Celtics’ home court. Expected to win even by its potential opponent waiting in the West; Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors had just punched their ticket to the Finals on Thursday night when Green predicted on TNT: “We’re going to play Boston.

The Miami Heat had their backs against the wall on Friday night. Similar to how they had the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs ...

Thybulle, who continues to rack up defensive accolades, has already become one of the league’s best perimeter defenders early on in his professional career. Overall, Butler finished the matchup with 47 points in 45 minutes. After checking in for all but eight seconds, Butler went 6-9 from the field and 4-4 from the free-throw line, grinding out 17 of his team's 29 points. By the time the third quarter wrapped up, the Heat star had 30 points in 34 minutes. The All-Star chucked up ten shots and knocked down six for 14 of his team's 29 points. The Miami Heat had their backs against the wall on Friday night.

He does, however, value inspirational messages from people in his circle. Butler, who erupted for 47 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, and 4 blocks in ...

I texted him and told him I appreciate him for it. Of course, Butler already had plenty of motivation, with the season on the line, but he believes that extra nudge paid dividends. Butler finished 16-of-29 from the floor, 4-of-8 from 3-point range, and 11-of-11 from the line, and he hit several clutch buckets in the final minutes to cement the win — a feeling Wade knows well.

Jimmy Butler left fans speechless after an absolute masterpiece of a performance against the Boston Celtics.

It’s certainly on par with what James did all those years ago — he scored the most points ever in an elimination game in Miami Heat history. He would not let the Heat go home on Friday. There’s also no Chris Bosh in the lineup.

Despite being just one win away from reaching the NBA Finals for the second time in three seasons, the Miami Heat is still being overlooked.

“Block out the noise as much as possible and get ready to play a regular game like you’ve been playing,” Tucker said of his advice to teammates entering Sunday’s Game 7. Guard Tyler Herro, who was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year this season, has missed the last three games because of a strained left groin and he’s listed as questionable for Game 7. Home teams have won Game 7 about 76.4 percent of the time in NBA history. “I think we just did our job,” Butler said, downplaying the Heat’s Game 6 win in Boston. “We’ve been saying it this entire series: It’s not finished yet. The Heat will host Game 7 on Sunday (8:30 p.m. on ESPN) at FTX Arena, with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. Then Butler (right knee inflammation) and Lowry (strained left hamstring) have also been dealing with their own respective ailments that have limited them at times during the East finals. But the Heat pulled off the upset behind an all-time great playoff performance from star Jimmy Butler, who finished Game 6 with 47 points on 16-of-29 shooting from the field, 4-of-8 shooting on threes and 11-of-11 shooting from the foul line, nine rebounds, eight assists, four steals and one block in 46 minutes. I’ve played with some great players, and he’s one of the best players I’ve played with. The Heat pulled off a Game 6 win over the Celtics on Friday, behind Jimmy Butler’s brilliance and some motivation drawn from Draymond Green’s comments. “You can define him in a lot of different ways, but his competitive will is as high as anybody that has played this game. The Heat knows its work isn’t done yet, though. There’s no guarantees of anybody winning in this league on a night-in and night-out basis.

Jimmy Butler was exceptional in Game 6 against the Boston Celtics, as the Miami Heat avoided elimination thanks to his 47 points, nine rebounds, ...

Fine him." "Fine him. That was considered an obscene gesture by the NBA, so it fined him $15,000. "My bad," Lowry said. Before Lowry was done pleading his case, though, Butler jokingly went at him. Jimmy Butler was exceptional in Game 6 against the Boston Celtics, as the Miami Heat avoided elimination thanks to his 47 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals.

It seems as if the moment was destiny now, but entering Game 6 Butler had scored just 27 points in the previous three games and was battling an injury that ...

Butler overcame that setback and is one win away from reaching his second NBA Finals with the Heat. It also helps to have past legends of the game who once walked in your shoes available to give championship advice if needed. At every stop, from Chicago to Minnesota to his brief stint in Philly and Miami, Butler has emerged as the emotional leader of the team and a go-to guy in crunch time. He usually steps his game up, locks in and plays with a passion and purpose that few can equal. The huge scoring performances that others have during a regular season that doesn’t amount to much get them headlines and glory. He’s not exactly humble, because he will flaunt his triumphs and shove it back up in his opponent’s face in the heat of the moment. Believe it or not, at the time the sheep and prisoners of the moment laughed at Butler and scoffed at the declaration as hyperbole. Butler has been putting the league on notice for years, even leading the Heat to the NBA Finals inside the Disney bubble in 2020 and establishing himself (or so he thought) among the upper echelon of franchise-caliber stars. That’s back when LeBron’s Lakers, the Brooklyn Nets and Greek Freak’s Bucks were the toast of the NBA’s talking heads. The two-way phenom also added some menacing defense with nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals in a 111-103 Miami Heat win to force a Game 7. With Miami on the brink of elimination against a surging Boston Celtics squad, Butler rebounded from a poor Game 5 performance. He impacts the game on the level of most superstars, but doesn’t have the eye-popping offensive numbers, MVPs or mega endorsement deals those other elite ballers do. Heat forward PJ Tucker said that he told Butler “We need 50 tonight.” Tucker says Butler just looked at him and nodded.