Jimmy Butler has solidified himself as a Miami Heat legend. He led a Heat team without crucial players like Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo. Butler got them a play-in tournament win to an NBA Finals matchup against the Denver Nuggets. His face-off against Nikola Jokic merits him more praise as he achieved a feat only LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have.
After Game 2 of the NBA Finals Butler now joins James and Wade in the annals of Heat history as he tallied 21 points and 9 assists in the 111-108 win. They are the only three players to reach 500 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in a single playoff run, per SportsCenter.
He racked up these points while shooting a fairly efficient 48.1% on field goals. His 3-point shooting does leave a lot to be desired. Butler only makes 36.1% of his shots from beyond the 3-point line.
The Heat superstar also facilitates their offense and creates opportunities for his teammates. He has a total of 104 assists entering the second game of the NBA Finals.
When Butler is not taking the shot, he makes sure to effectively crash the boards. He totals 126 rebounds. Those numbers are expected to rise more as he rounds out his all-around effort.
Pat Riley's decision to stick with Jimmy Butler as their star continues to pay dividends. He has now reached three Eastern Conference Finals and two NBA Finals appearances with the team. He can continue his legendary stint with Miami if they become the first eight-seed to win the Larry O'Brien trophy. Before all of that happens, he has a 284-pound Serbian as his final challenge.