“I’m just hooping” -Playoff Jimmy
No big deal, just 56 points from Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler to lead a comeback victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 4.
There’s a reason the nickname “Playoff Jimmy” came about. Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler has a reputation for performing even better in the postseason than he does in the regular season, and that was on full display for Monday night’s Game 4, 119-114 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Butler leads comeback win over Bucks
The Heat were down by 14 points in the fourth quarter, but Jimmy Butler led them on a stunning 30-13 comeback run. Down 101-89 with just six minutes left in the game, Butler scored or assisted on 22 of the final 30 points in that run. He outscored them 13-8 in the last five minutes and ended the game with a franchise-high 56 points plus nine rebounds, two assists, and a block. Not only were those 56 points a record for the franchise, but it was also the fourth-highest scoring performance in NBA playoff history (after Elgin Baylor, Michael Jordan, and Donovan Mitchell).
When Butler was asked about the nickname “Playoff Jimmy”, he laughed it off like it’s no big deal.
“I’m just hooping, playing basketball the right way,” he said. “Taking the shots that the defense gives me, staying aggressive.”
It’s hard to deny that it’s a thing, when Butler has gone from averaging 22.9 points in the regular season to averaging 36.5 points in the playoffs over the four games they’ve had so far.
Thanks to Butler’s clutch playoff performances, the Heat are now leading the series against the Bucks 3-1. The Heat finished No. 8 in the Eastern Conference at the end of the season and had to go through the Play-in tournament to even reach the playoffs. Now, they have put No. 1 Milwaukee on the brink of elimination.
“I love the competitive aspect of [the playoffs],” Butler said. “This is where all the best players show up and they show out. I’m not saying I’m one of those best players; I just want to be looked at as such.”
“I want to do everything for my team to win, along with everybody on this roster. I think Pat [Riley] and Spo [Erik Spoelstra] wanted me here for a reason. I feel like this is part of that reason.”
The Heat will play Game 5 in Bucks’ territory on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.