The Miami Heat came into Boston with everything stacked against them. They had nothing in their favor.
They were down 3-2 and on the brink of elimination. They had guys banged up all over the roster, somewhat also the case with Boston.
Boston was at home though and already with the momentum because the Miami Heat couldn’t seem to score the ball in the last two games when they needed to. Lastly and though you always hate to go to this place, up until a somewhat even affair in Game 6, the officiating in the series has been far less than even.
But that didn’t matter to the Miami Heat. After the media, some around the league such as Draymond Green, and many others out there had already picked Boston to move on to the NBA Finals before Game 6 was ever even played—the Miami Heat responded, beating the Celtics in Boston, 111-103.
They were led in that response by their best player, a guy that has been a top-two player in the playoffs in Jimmy Butler.
The Miami Heat needed all they could get from everyone Friday night to extend the Eastern Conference Finals. Jimmy Butler gave them that and some more.
Believing that he would have to be the best player on the floor four times for the Miami Heat to win this series, he certainly was in Game 6.
After two pedestrian performances in Games 4 and 5, Jimmy Butler came out to look like the dude he’s appeared to be throughout the rest of the playoffs thus far. He shot the three-ball with a renewed invigoration.
He drove to the cup for contact, only as Jimmy Butler and a few others can. He hit the midrange jump shot like the maestro he is from that area.
He didn’t just score the rock, but he filled up the entire stat sheet along the way. He would finish with 47 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists on 16-29 shooting from the floor and 4-8 from range.
Jimmy was magnificent! The rest of the team did their jobs pretty good too, noting a few big threes from Max Strus and a really good and needed performance from Kyle Lowry, but the absolute star of Game 6 was Jimmy Butler.
It’s games like these that solidify his ascension among the pantheon of Miami Heat all-timers. Now they must get ready for an even tougher Game 7 for a trip to the NBA Finals.