The NBA's Last Two Minute Report is out from Game 4 between the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks, and Heat star Jimmy Butler got screwed on multiple calls.
Butler should have gotten two free throws with 24.2 seconds left with the Heat up 107-106 in the fourth quarter.
The five-time All-Star was also fouled by Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe on another crucial play:
And, of course, NBA said error made on play that Bledsoe fouled Butler on ball going out of bounds, but could only be reviewed for out-of-bounds call. Per NBA: "Bledsoe (MIL) makes contact with Butler's (MIA) arm and affects his ability to maintain control of the ball." https://t.co/bSfvolXEtJ
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) September 7, 2020
Butler and the Heat are still up 3-1 on the Bucks. However, the Texas native was frustrated that his team couldn't close out the series in four, especially since Milwaukee superstar swingman Giannis Antetokounmpo hurt his ankle again and had to leave the game in the second quarter.
Butler, a fierce competitor who hates losing, said the Heat took their foot off the gas pedal after Antetokounmpo left the game.
“Well, it shouldn't affect ours, but I think that we relaxed a little bit,” Jimmy Butler said when asked if the Heat's play changed after the Bucks' big man exited.
“And we stopped playing basketball the right way. We stopped guarding. We stopped living by our defensive principles. We weren't getting 50-50 balls. We were getting outrebounded. It was just all bad.”
It's unknown if Antetokounmpo will play in Game 5, but Butler and the Heat shouldn't even worry about that. If Miami wants to get to the conference finals for the first time since 2014, they need to focus on themselves and get back to playing Heat basketball.
Butler, who is trying to make the conference finals for the first time in his NBA career, is averaging 25.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the Bucks series. He's also shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc.