Philadelphia 76ers forward Jimmy Butler’s game-winning three-pointer to put away the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night looked eerily similar to Kyrie Irving’s Game 7, championship-sealing dagger for the Cleveland Cavaliers that broke the collective hearts of every member of the Golden State Warriors and their fans in the 2016 NBA Finals.
See the comparison for yourself:
Though there is a huge difference in the magnitude of the games being compared here, this shouldn’t take anything away from Jimmy Butler’s big-time triple to spoil Hornets All-Star Kemba Walker’s 60-point career night.
With this shot, Irving, now a Boston Celtic, arguably changed the entire NBA landscape, setting up the Warriors dynasty we know today. While Jimmy Butler’s shot did not have any historical implications of this level, it did spoil and ruin a historic evening from the Hornets’ all-time leading scorer.
Walker was in his element tonight, torching Jimmy Butler and the Sixers in a variety of ways. He tried his best to edge out the new-look Sixers squad but ultimately came up short despite pouring out an all-time effort.
Jimmy G. Buckets did get the last laugh as he punched in a Kyrie-esque dagger to break Walker’s spirits. Ironically, that three-pointer was his only make from downtown. Jimmy Butler finished with just 15 points as he struggled on 4-of-11 shooting. However, that didn’t matter as he made the biggest basket on the night.
Jimmy Butler is still getting acclimated with his new Sixers team, but he proved his worth tonight. The Sixers did acquire the four-time All-Star to be the team’s closer in situations like this. Kyrie Irving, on the other hand, isn’t too shabby when it comes to closing out games – even championships.
