Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler just did something that only LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have done before in team history: score 45 points in a playoff game.
Butler exploded for Miami in Game 2 of their playoff series with the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, going 15-of-25 from the field including 4-of-7 from deep and 11-of-12 from the free throw line. Atlanta just had no answer for him, and the Heat took advantage of it from the get-go.
Now, Butler is part of Heat history with his latest feat for the franchise.
Jimmy Butler playoff career high:
45 PTS
5 REB
5 AST
15-25 FG
4-7 3PHe joins LeBron and DWade as the only Heat players with a 45-point playoff game. pic.twitter.com/32aW6npaJA
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 20, 2022
While a lot has been said about Jimmy Butler and the Heat when they were struggling late in the season, they are now proving that it was just a rough patch to an otherwise brilliant season. Miami finished at the top of the Eastern Conference, and they showed the Hawks why.
The Heat got the job done at home. Now, they will try to keep the momentum going in their favor as the series shifts to Atlanta where the Hawks will try to even out the series.
Miami will be leaning on Butler again to lead the Heat. Of course he doesn't need to do another LeBron James or Dwyane Wade-like performance to fuel Miami given the talent around him, but the team can certainly be more at ease knowing that he can take over any time they need him.