Jimmy Butler again guides Heat past Celtics for 2-0 edge
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[May 20, 2023]
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler certainly doesn't lack for motivation,
but his competitive urges rose significantly in the middle of the
fourth quarter on Friday.
Boston reserve Grant Williams started chirping after sinking a
3-pointer to give the Celtics a nine-point lead in Game 2 of the
Eastern Conference finals.
Fifteen seconds later, Butler made a basket and the two players
literally went eye to eye. Both players were assessed technical
fouls.
Less than four minutes later, the hard-charging Butler made
back-to-back shots, including the tiebreaking basket with 2:33
remaining, as Miami took a 2-0 series lead with a 111-105 victory.
Butler enjoyed his second straight stellar all-around game with 27
points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals as Miami won in
Boston for the second straight game to open the best-of-seven
series.
Miami began an 18-4 run after the Williams 3-pointer, with Butler
being the key man in the game-winning rally.
"He hit a big shot and started talking to me. I like that," Butler
said. "It makes me key in a lot more, it pushes that will that I
have to win a lot more and it makes me smile. I'm a decent player.
... I don't know that I'm the best person to talk to."
Said Miami forward Caleb Martin: "We'll take Mad Jimmy any time. I
could see it in his eyes that he was ready to go after that."
Martin also excelled, establishing a career playoff high with 25
points on 11-of-16 shooting off the bench for the eighth-seeded
Heat. Miami's Bam Adebayo contributed 22 points, 17 rebounds and
nine assists, and reserve Duncan Robinson chipped in 15 points.
The Heat are now in position to win the series without coming back
to Boston. Games 3 and 4 will be played in Miami on Sunday and
Tuesday, respectively.
Jayson Tatum had 34 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for
second-seeded Boston but didn't convert a field goal in the fourth
quarter for the second straight game. All five of Tatum's
final-quarter points came on free throws in the final minute.
Jaylen Brown scored 16 points but shot just 7 of 23 from the field
for the Celtics. Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III had 13
points apiece.
Brown asserted that the series is not over.
"Both of these two games, they've been able to come out on top,"
Brown said. "But who's to say we can't come out on top the next two
games? We just have to be ready to play basketball. We can't lose
our confidence. It's first to four, and it will sure make for a
better story."
The Heat connected on 45.7 percent of their shots and were 9 of 26
(34.6 percent) from behind the 3-point arc. Max Strus added 11
points for Miami.
[to top of second column] |
May 19, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts,
USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) dunks during the second half
against the Boston Celtics in game two of the Eastern Conference
Finals for the 2023 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit:
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Boston shot 46.8 percent from the field, including
10 of 35 (28.6 percent) from 3-point range. Derrick White had 11
points for the Celtics.
Robert Williams' dunk gave Boston a game-high, 12-point lead with
10:35 remaining in the contest.
Robinson responded with two 3-pointers during Miami's ensuing 10-2
spurt to cut the Celtics' lead to 91-87 with 8:40 left.
After Boston pushed its lead back to nine, the Heat scored nine of
the next 11 points as part of the 18-4 run. Robinson's layup pulled
Miami within 98-96 with 4:36 to play before Grant Williams scored on
a dunk with 3:52 left for the Celtics.
Adebayo made two free throws and Butler added consecutive baskets,
including the go-ahead hoop as Miami went up by two. Strus split two
free throws and Adebayo slammed home a rim-rattling dunk to make it
105-100 with 55 seconds remaining.
Tatum scored his first points of the fourth quarter by making three
free throws with 49.3 seconds left. Gabe Vincent knocked down a
jumper with 35.1 seconds left to give the Heat a 107-103 edge.
After Tatum made two free throws with 21.6 seconds to go, Vincent
and Strus each made two free throws to seal it for the Heat and to
leave the Celtics seeking answers.
"We need to get together," Robert Williams said. "Time is running
out. We don't have time for these mess-ups."
Tatum scored 15 points in the third quarter as Boston turned a
four-point halftime deficit into an 83-75 lead. The Celtics
outscored the Heat 33-21 during the period.
Martin had 14 points before halftime as the Heat held a 54-50 edge.
Tatum scored 14 in the half for Boston.
--Field Level Media
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