Two minutes and 45 seconds it took the Heat to score their first basket.
At that time, the buzz of the stands was already echoing on the walls of the American Airlines Center, a sample of the character of a hobby, that of Miami, marked by the demand and rapid consumption of stimuli, also a symptom of a new time.
There, in that rush forced by the rhythm of the big city, Jimmy Butler has found his harmony.
The escort, raised in Tomball, a district on the outskirts of Houston (Texas), is the undisputed leader of those from Florida.
Last night, in yet another sample, he scored 41 points, which, accompanied by nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks, sealed the first blow against the Boston Celtics (118-107) in the Eastern Conference finals.
The visitors, dressed in green yesterday, as marked by its historical tradition, left before the white tide of the pavilion without two of its main pieces: Marcus Smart and Al-Horford.
The first, weighed down by pain in his right foot after the seventh game against the Milwaukee Bucks, played just 48 hours ago, could not recover in time, although he is expected for the second match of the tie.
Horford, on the other hand, is more concerned, since he is confined due to the coronavirus and could miss several games.
On the other front, the Heat did have their full strength.
Essential in a coral template like few others.
Even more so since the strong discussion in the middle of the game against the Warriors, still in the regular season.
At that time there was talk of a broken wardrobe, of a split.
Since then, Erik Spoelstra's men have picked up cruising speed —15 wins and six losses— and, making less noise than the rest, have reached the conference finals for the fifth time in ten years.
After comings and goings on the scoreboard, generally dominated by the Celtics, Butler put the team on his back in the third act and showed his teammates the way to victory.
The Texan, criticized at times for his character, difficult to connect with who does not meet his demands, only sees in victory the possible outcome of his work, plagued by hours and hours in the gym.
That's how it has been since he was young, when he had to make a living after his parents disowned him —his father left the family when he was a child and his mother kicked him out of the house when he was 13 years old.
Over time, Butler forged a solid performance on the track and was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 2011. There he struck up a friendship with Pau Gasol that still lasts, but above all he strengthened his career in the NBA - six times
all star
-.
In 2019, after a failed stint in Philadelphia, Butler landed in Miami to lead the acclaimed "culture
heat"
under Spoelstra.
There, the shooting guard found his place and, after falling in the 2020 finals against the Lakers, he intends to repeat the feat this year.
To do this, Butler has the help of Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, substitute par excellence of the championship.
Yesterday, against a Jayson Tatum too alone in attack (29 points), Spoelstra's men viciously punished the Celtics who will have to recover the tone of their last tie against the Bucks if they want to reach the TD Garden next Saturday with the tie tied at one.
Otherwise, there will be a lot to row.
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