The Miami Heat go as Jimmy Butler does and on Saturday, he tried to do all he could.
Although this was, indeed, a preventable loss for Miami, they must bounce back from it in Game Two to avoid a 0-2 series deficit. The Heat will look to steal a game on the road on Monday and head back to the American Airlines Arena all tied up at 1-1.
And to look no further, much of those improvements will need to stimulate from the organization’s franchise leader, Jimmy Butler. Here’s what that means.
In a versatile and across-the-board type of performance, 17 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, props must be given to Butler for bringing a Get Rich or Die Tryin’ mentality. After leading Miami to the playoffs for the second consecutive year, HE was aggressive for the entire duration of this game, with 10 of Miami’s 19 total attempts at the free-throw line.
He did so while continuing to prove to the entire league that no matter what defense he goes up against, he’s going to find ways to produce — especially at this stage. However, this was undeniably, the most abysmal playoff shooting performance that Butler’s had since joining the Heat — and it was the ugly kind of dud.
The five-time All-Star had a a 4-22 night from the floor and shot 2-9 from outside. After attempting a barrage of perimeter jump-shots, Jimmy was determined to find his range, as he continued to play right into the hands of the Bucks.
While it’s a promising sign to have your team’s best player play with confidence, it’s important to recognize when it just isn’t your night. To have teammates such as Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic, who combined for 49 points and 12-23 on three-pointers, the better option is to defer to them when they’re hot, for which Jimmy normally excels at.