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Butler shot 19 of 28 for the eighth-seeded
Heat, who seized control of the best-of-seven series. Butler
broke the previous scoring mark set by LeBron James, who posted
49 points in a playoff game against the Brooklyn Nets on May 12,
2014. Butler also set a personal career high, regular season and
postseason.
The 56 points tied for the fourth most in an NBA playoff game.
Butler trails Michael Jordan (63 for the Chicago Bulls in 1986),
Elgin Baylor (61, Los Angeles Lakers, 1962) and Donovan Mitchell
(57, Utah Jazz, 2020). Also scoring 56 were Wilt Chamberlain
(Philadelphia Warriors, 1962), Jordan (Bulls, 1992) and Charles
Barkley (Phoenix Suns, 1994).
Brook Lopez had 36 points and 11 rebounds for the top-seeded
Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from a two-game absence
caused by a back injury to produce 26 points, 13 assists and 10
rebounds.
The Heat will have a chance to clinch the series in Game 5 on
Wednesday night at Milwaukee.
Bam Adebayo had 15 points and eight rebounds and Caleb Martin
scored 12 points for Miami, which never led until 3:17 remained.
Butler scored 21 fourth-quarter points and keyed the decisive
charge when he buried a 3-pointer to give the Heat a 110-109
lead with 1:20 remaining.
Butler followed up with a 22-footer and two free throws to push
the lead to five before Adebayo made two free throws to cap a
9-0 burst to give Miami a 116-109 advantage with 32.7 seconds
remaining.
The Bucks got no closer than four as the Heat finished it out.
Antetokounmpo injured his back in Game 1 and missed the next two
games. The Bucks split the contests.
Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton scored 14 points apiece for the
Bucks, who shot 43.3 percent from the field and made 13 of 40
shot attempts from 3-point range (32.5 percent).
The Heat connected on 49.4 percent of their attempts, including
13 of 32 (40.6 percent) from behind the arc.
The Bucks were cruising with a 101-89 lead after Lopez's dunk
with 6:09 left before the Heat exploded with 13 consecutive
points to take their first lead of the night.
Antetokounmpo halted the run with a three-point play with 3:03
remaining to give the Bucks a two-point lead.
Butler scored 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting in the first
quarter, but the Heat trailed 33-28. Milwaukee held a 57-50
halftime lead and later took an 89-78 lead into the final
stanza.
--Field Level Media
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