I still can’t quite believe what I watched last night.
The Heat, trailing by double digits against the Milwaukee Bucks through most of a pivotal Game 4 despite some first quarter brilliance from one Jimmy Butler (22 points, 9-10 shooting in 12 mins), mustered an outrageous comeback late in the 4th quarter. Butler finished with an absurd 56 points on 28 shots thanks to a 4th quarter that saw him pour in another 21 points (6-8 shooting & 8-9 from the foul line).
Against an elite Milwaukee defensive front getting back their MVP and DPOY in Giannis Antetokounmpo, Butler mixed in a variety of midrange pull-ups, step backs, and low-post footwork that would make Hakeem Olajuwon proud on his way to 56 points (tied for 4th most in NBA playoff history) and left Milwaukee stunned and staring at a 3-1 deficit.
With Jrue Holiday draped over him all game and Giannis and Brook standing in the paint, Jimmy somehow shot 16-of-20 inside the three-point line: pic.twitter.com/eDPXUJOt0L
— Couper Moorhead (@CoupNBA) April 25, 2023
With the high from pulling off a win like this still fresh, many are wondering, where does this Butler game stack up against other legendary Heat playoff performances? Is it already the greatest of all time, or do we have to factor in that other games (a few by Butler himself) were under higher stakes than a Game 4 at home? I went through nine of the greatest Heat playoff games and weighed in on each one:
The Game and Playoff Round: 2006 NBA Finals (06/13/2006) , Game 3 @ Miami (Miami trails 0-2)
The Player & The Line: Dwyane Wade, 42 points on 14-26 from the field (1-2 on 3-pointers), 13-18 at the free throw line. 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals. 15 points in the 4th Quarter + the game-saving defensive play
The Context: The Heat blitzed through the Eastern Conference in 2006, knocking off a Detroit Pistons team that had the best record in the NBA (64-18) to reach their first NBA Finals. However, Dallas took a commanding 2-0 lead in the series and held Miami under 90 points in both games on their home floor. Miami came out invigorated in Game 3, but an abysmal 3rd quarter (outscored 34-16) left Miami trailing by 13 with 6:34 left in the game and at the precipice of a 3-0 deficit. Dwyane Wade would spend the remainder of the game dominating (“I’m not going out like this!”), and, with the help of a clutch Gary Payton jumper and missed Dirk Nowitzki free throw, Miami would hang on to win Game 3 and find new life in the series.
The Game and Playoff Round: 2006 NBA Finals (06/18/2006) , Game 5 @ Miami (Series Tied 2-2)
The Player & The Line: Dwyane Wade, 43 points on 11-28 from the field (0-2 on 3-pointers), 21-25 at the free throw line. 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals. 17 points in the 4th Quarter + 4 points in OT
The Context: In a pivotal Game 5, Wade struggled from the onset, shooting just 3-13 from the field at halftime. Coupled with another weak third quarter, Miami and Dallas played a nip and tuck 4th that saw Miami reliant on Wade’s heroics once more. Fouled with 1 second remaining in overtime and trailing by one point, Wade sunk perhaps the biggest, most daunting two foul shots in Heat history to give Miami a one point lead and the Game 5 victory. Ultimately, this game is remembered for Wade’s 25 free throw attempts, and while this was a supreme 4th quarter performance with the biggest stakes imaginable, it’s hard to rank this at number 1 considering Wade’s relatively poor shooting from the field.
The Game and Playoff Round: 2006 NBA Finals (06/20/2006) , Game 6 @ Dallas (Miami Leads 3-2)
The Player & The Line: Dwyane Wade, 36 points on 10-18 from the field, 16-21 at the free throw line. 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks. Heat win the NBA Title.
The Context: While not as high scoring as Wade’s Game 3 and 5, this was arguably the most complete game Wade had ever played in a postseason to that point, nearly netting the statistical unicorn known as a 5X5 (at least 5 in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks; per Statmuse, this has never been done in the postseason). Wade again saved his best for last, with 11 4th quarter points and an NBA title secured on a hostile Mavericks floor.
The Game and Playoff Round: 2010 NBA 1st Rd (04/25/2010) , Game 4 @ Miami (Miami trails 0-3)
The Player & The Line: Dwyane Wade, 46 points on 16-24 from the field (5-7 on 3-pointers), 9-14 at the free throw line. 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals. 30 points in the 2nd half.
The Context: Despite being the 4-5 matchup in the first round of the Eastern Conference, this Heat club was sorely outmatched by a Boston team that would end up going 7 games in the NBA Finals. In part due to utterly putrid play by the team’s supposed 2nd best player, Jermaine O’Neal (4.2 PPG, 20.5% from the field; that is not a typo), and limited help from any of the supporting cast, Wade was a one-man wrecking crew throughout this series (33.2 PPG). Trailing 3-0, it would be understandable if Wade and the Heat opted to accept their fate, but Wade went nova in the 2nd half, and willed Miami to victory with a combination of ferocious rim runs and uncharacteristic elite outside shooting. With the Heat losing in 5 and Wade signaling that he refused to accept further 1st round exits, this game likely can’t be considered the greatest, but this game signaled Wade was still at the peak of his powers.
The Game and Playoff Round: 2012 NBA Eastern Conference Finals (06/07/2012) , Game 6 @ Boston (Miami trails 2-3)
The Player & The Line: LeBron James, 45 points on 19-26 from the field (2-4 on 3-pointers), 5-9 at the free throw line. 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals. 30 points at halftime
The Context: The Blueprint Game aka The Stare. The Heat blew three straight games to a perpetually feisty Celtics team and faced a 3-2 deficit heading back to Boston. A loss would’ve been another stain on the legacy of a then-ringless LeBron James and a potential premature end to the Big 3. What followed may have been the single greatest evisceration I’ve ever seen, with LeBron sinking shots at a truly ruthless efficiency from inside and out, and holding his matchup, Paul Pierce, to a 4-18 stinker. The only reason LeBron wasn’t in position to score 60 that night was the nature of the game: a 98-79 blowout that saw LeBron ease up his scoring binge juuuuust a bit once the lead became insurmountable (by the lower-scoring standards of 2012 NBA basketball). The Heat would go on to beat Boston in Game 7 and win their 2nd NBA Title after taking down the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Game and Playoff Round: 2013 NBA Finals (06/07/2012) , Game 6 @ Boston (Miami trails 2-3)
The Player & The Line: LeBron James, 37 points on 12-23 from the field (5-10 on 3-pointers), 8-8 (!) at the free throw line. 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals.
The Context: The Ray Allen Shot of Game 6 fame gave this Heat club new life and the chance at a Game 7. What followed was a magnificently played game of basketball that saw neither team gain an ounce of separation throughout the 48 minutes of game time. Gregg Popovich spent all series daring LeBron and the Heat to sink outside jumpers, and LeBron obliged. While not technically a “game winning basket,” James would take and make a midrange pull up jumper with 27 seconds left that gave Miami a 4-point cushion and their franchise’s third NBA Title.
The Game and Playoff Round: 2020 NBA Finals (10/04/2020), Game 6 @ Bubble (Miami trails 0-2)
The Player & The Line: Jimmy Butler, 40 points on 14-20 from the field, 12-14 at the free throw line. 11 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks.
The Context: A Finals series that felt truly winnable for Miami early quickly went south with Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic lost to injury in Game 1. Miami had to pivot to a Jimmy-or-bust offense and Butler delivered like few ever have in Finals history. Surrounded by shooting at every other position, Butler used the space he had to dissect a stout Lakers defense and outplay LeBron James (who had 8 turnovers in part due to Butler’s own defense). The triple-double statline is pristine and marred only slightly by Butler’s 5 turnovers.
The Game and Playoff Round: 2020 NBA Finals (10/09/2020) , Game 5 @ Bubble (Miami trails 1-3)
The Player & The Line: Jimmy Butler, 35 points on 11-19 from the field (1-3 on 3-pointers), 12-12 at the free throw line. 12 rebounds, 11 assists, 5 steals, 1 block. 47:12 minutes played
The Context: A close Game 4 loss had Miami again at the precipice, and LeBron James knew it. James had a Finals game for the ages himself with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists. Somehow, Miami survived. Butler matched James shot-for-shot and had his second NBA Finals triple-double. The enduring image of this game remains Butler huddled over after drawing a foul, gasping for air having played nearly every second of the game. Unfortunately this last gasp left Butler unable to replicate any further miracles, and a valiant Miami team fell in Game 6.
The Game and Playoff Round: 2022 NBA Eastern Conference (5/27/2022) , Game 6 @ Boston (Miami trails 2-3)
The Player & The Line: Jimmy Butler, 47 points on 16-29 from the field (4-8 on 3-pointers), 11-11 at the free throw line. 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals, 1 block.
The Context: This game remains my pick for the greatest single performance in Heat playoff history. By most statistical measures, yesterday’s Butler game was greater, at least from the point-of-view of his scoring efficiency, but until Miami’s playoff fate is settled, I lack the full context needed to frame this game against the others.
The context here, though, is that Butler suffered an ankle injury in Game 3 of this series and looked woeful in Games 4 and 5 as a result. Inexplicably, Butler, whether through a good round of treatment or through his sheer force of will, came out of the gates in Game 6 and dropped 14-5-4 in the first quarter alone. His 8 total assists in this game (compared to 2 yesterday) means Butler ended up accounting for more total points for his team as well. Miami’s lead remained tenuous through most of this game, and back-to-back threes from Al Horford and Derrick White gave Boston a late 3-point lead. But Butler went into hero mode again, scoring 7 points in the final stretch (17 total 4th quarter points) and giving Miami a win that seemed utterly improbable.
Honorable Mentions: Tim Hardaway, Game 7 vs. NYK (1997), Dwyane Wade Game 2 vs. Detroit (2005), Shaquille O’Neal Game 6 vs. Detroit (2006), Dwyane Wade Game 6 vs. Atlanta (2009), LeBron James Game 4 vs. Indiana (2012), Dwyane Wade Game 6 vs. Indiana (2012), LeBron James Game 6 vs. Oklahoma City (2012), LeBron James Game 4 vs. BKN (2014), Jimmy Butler Game 1 vs. Milwaukee (2020), Jimmy Butler Game 2 vs. Atlanta (2022), Jimmy Butler Game 1 vs. Boston (2022), Jimmy Butler Game 7 vs. Boston (2022)