The Miami Heat have crashed the playoff party in a big way. Jimmy Butler, known for his “Playoff Jimmy” alter ego, put the team on his back in Game 4 against the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring a playoff record 56 points in a 119-114 victory (Miami Herald). With the win, the Heat go up 3-1 in the series and are just one win away from eliminating the number one seed in the Eastern Conference (Heat Nation).
Butler’s historic performance had NBA players and fans alike in awe on social media (Heat Nation). The six-time All-Star outshined Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who left the game with an ankle injury and is listed as questionable for Game 4 (Miami Herald). The Heat have also dealt with injuries of their own, as Butler himself is listed as questionable with a shoulder problem (Miami Herald).
In addition to Butler’s heroics, the Heat have been getting uneven play from their center Bam Adebayo, who has struggled in the playoffs (Miami Herald). The team will need Adebayo to step up if they hope to make a deep playoff run.
Former Heat player Solomon Hill has even taken to Twitter to campaign for more playing time for Duncan Robinson in the playoffs (Heat Nation). Robinson is a key three-point shooter and could help the Heat in their quest for a championship.
Despite the injuries and ups and downs of the playoffs, the Miami Heat are proving to be a formidable team that shouldn’t be counted out (Bleacher Report). The path to the NBA Finals won’t be easy, but the Heat are showing they have the heart and talent to make a run.
