Jimmy Butler is HIM.
The No. 8 Miami Heat defeated and stunned the No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks 128-126 in overtime in Game 5. Now, the Heat will take on the New York Knicks in the second round.
Jimmy Butler is carrying Miami on the offensive end, but other players have done their part well defensively. Beating a healthy Milwaukee team is impressive, and this effort proves that Miami is yet again capable of winning a championship. Here’s a quick recap of Miami’s win over Milwaukee, the team that held the best record in the NBA.
Big Three Shows Up and Shows Out
It’s clear that the Heat have stepped up their game from the regular season to the playoffs. The loss of Tyler Herro required more scoring production from other players, and Gabe Vincent in particular has done that part well. He finished with 22 points and six rebounds; his matchup against Jalen Brunson in the second round will be interesting to watch.
Bam Adebayo had a huge impact, and he recorded a triple double before fouling out in overtime. Brook Lopez was praised as a great interior defender prior to this series, but Bam took it to him these past five games. The Heat are destined to reach the conference finals if he performs at the same level against Julius Randle.
Butler. What more needs to be said. He hit a clutch shot to send the game into overtime, and scored over 40 points for the second consecutive game. Butler’s heroic performances have carried Miami everywhere except a championship. However, this year’s team with exceptional coaching and an experienced group can guide the Heat back to the NBA Finals.
Concluding Thoughts
The Heat will now get some well deserved rest before heading to Madison Square Garden. The Knicks have a much improved squad even from last season, all thanks to Brunson. New York matches up well with Miami, so that series could turn out to be tougher with the Heat. Regardless, anything could happen from here on out. It’s all in the hands of Butler and Erik Spoelstra.
So, what is stopping the Heat? They just beat arguably the best team in the NBA. Also, Playoff Jimmy is insane.