The Miami Heat knew that Game 2 wouldn’t be like Game 1 of their opening rounds series against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2022 NBA Playoffs. Former Miami Heat player and TNT color commentator, Jim Jackson, alluded to it.
When speaking about Coach Spoelstra’s thoughts on the game, Spo would insinuate that Game 1 was a figment of the imagination as well. The Miami Heat wouldn’t come out to dominate the Hawks like Game 1.
You could expect some adjustments from them in this one. You couldn’t expect Duncan Robinson and P.J. Tucker to have nearly flawless versions of their individual games.
You couldn’t expect anything to remain the same—well, except one thing. As he had in Game 1 of this series, Jimmy Butler recognized the moment, what his team needed, and proceeded to deliver.
However, he would deliver in the most huge way on Tuesday.
The Miami Heat didn’t win the same way in Game 2 as they did in Game 1. What got it done in Game 2 was a career night from their best player, Jimmy Butler.
The game was back and forth for much of it, with the Miami Heat getting out to a double-digit lead as the fourth quarter began to really get into the thick of itself.
Atlanta would climb back to within four or five points, but then, Jimmy Butler said “no!”.
Going on a personal seven-point run late in the game to propel his Heat back out to a comfortable lead, it was that stretch that, not only, sealed the deal for his team in this Game 2 victory, but was indicative of his performance on Tuesday.
Finishing with a playoff career-high 45 points on the night, Jimmy Butler joins a list with only two other Miami Heat guys ever to go for 45 points, five rebounds, and five assists in the playoffs. And trust us, those two guys are the most elite of elite company.
Yes, that would be the greatest player in Miami Heat franchise history, Dwyane Wade, and possibly the greatest player to ever touch a basketball in the NBA, LeBron James. Basically, Jimmy was a different animal in Game 2.
He’ll need to take that same intensity to Atlanta on Friday. They should want to get this one over as soon as they can, not allowing a team like this one to hang around and cling to life.
That should be the mission, to continue to do what they have done. Because on Tuesday, Jimmy snatched the life right out of them.