Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat were unable to close out the Knicks in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night, but according to the superstar, the series will not be going back to New York for a Game 7.
“If [coach Erik Spoelstra] tells me to play 48 minutes, I'll be suited and booted and ready to do that,” Butler said, according to the New York Daily News' Stefan Bondy. “And we'll win. I don't ever think losing is encouraging. I hope that the only way is up from here. So we will be better the next game.”
It's certainly a bold claim from Butler, but the Heat won both Games 3 and 4 in Miami this week, and will have a raucous home crowd behind them as they look to become just the second No. 8 seed to advance to the conference finals.
“It doesn't matter if I score 40 or 50 or 19 or nine, we always have enough to win,” Butler explained after the loss. “And If I score 10 points in that game and we win, that wouldn't be an issue, wouldn't be a question and I will continue to play the right way.”
Butler has played the right way the entire NBA Playoffs for his team, and he was solid if unspectacular on Wednesday, scoring 19 points with seven rebounds, nine assists, four steals and two blocks. He was voted to the All-NBA second team on Wednesday as well, his highest career finish after being voted to the third team four times.
The Heat dominated Game 3 and outworked the Knicks in the fourth quarter to hold on and win Game 4, but an elimination Game 6 will be even more motivation for the Knicks to get a win and host Game 7 back at MSG.
Although it will take the Heat longer than the five games it took to defeat the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, if playoff Jimmy Butler shows up at the Kaseya Center on Friday night, they have a great shot.
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