Jimmy Butler scores 56, leads Heat to 3-1 series lead vs. Bucks: Is Playoff Jimmy undeniable?

Jimmy Butler led the Heat to a 119-114 Game 4 win over the Bucks with a 56-point performance Monday. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Butler finished with 56 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one block, shooting 19-of-28 from the field.
  • The six-time All-Star surpassed LeBron James’ Miami record of 49 postseason points, set in 2014 against the Brooklyn Nets.
  • Butler led the Heat on a 30-13 run over the final 6:09 of the game.
  • Miami leads the series 3-1 with Game 5 set for Wednesday in Milwaukee at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Speechless.

3-1 series lead 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Y6WvSATc1K

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 25, 2023

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

No sugar-coating this for Milwaukee

That was a staggering collapse from the Bucks. There is just no way around it. They led, 101-89, with six minutes remaining and then failed to score for three minutes while the Heat went on a 12-0 run to take the lead.

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And then after trading baskets briefly with the Heat, the Bucks just couldn’t find a way to stop Butler late. — Nehm

Another classic Jimmy Butler playoff game

Butler remains adamant that “Playoff Jimmy” is not a thing and his mindset doesn’t change once the bright lights come on in the postseason. But it’s hard to deny it after what he pulled off Monday night.

Butler became the sixth player in NBA history to score 56-plus points in a playoff game, and Miami needed every one of those points to hand the top-seeded Bucks their third loss in this series. After needing a win in a do-or-die Play-In game to earn their spot in the playoffs, the Heat are one win away from eliminating the team with the best record in the NBA.

The one man who’s made this unbelievable turn of events possible is Butler, doing what he does in the games that matter most. If Miami can finish Milwaukee off in the next three games, this will undoubtedly go down as one of the top achievements in his career. — Guillory

go-deeper

GO DEEPER

'This is my s---!': Jimmy Butler and a legacy-building 56-point performance for the ages

Backstory

Butler began Game 4 scoring 22 points in the first quarter on 9-of-10 shooting from the field. The four-time All-NBA selection also had 21 points in the fourth quarter alone. The next-highest scorer for the Heat was Bam Adebayo with 15 points and eight rebounds.

Giannis Antetokounmpo posted his third career playoff triple-double with 26 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds and two blocks in his return for Milwaukee. The two-time MVP missed the previous two games with a lower back contusion. Brook Lopez added a team-high 36 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

2023 NBA playoff bracket

The 2023 NBA postseason is alive and well.

Fill out your full bracket for the Western and Eastern Conference Playoffs ⤵️https://t.co/RvCkfAEfnh pic.twitter.com/BYNx1rODK8

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) April 17, 2023

Required reading

(Photo: Megan Briggs / Getty Images)

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