Ticked: Sports Events Summary Clip, May 17 (Sports5)
In the first round of the playoffs, Miami surprised everyone by eliminating Milwaukee, perhaps the big favorite to win the championship. Then they easily eliminated the Knicks and tonight Erik Spoelstra's experienced team opened the Eastern Conference Finals with a huge win, 116-123 in Boston and stole home from the team that eliminated them in last year's Eastern Conference Finals. The first half ended with a clear 57-66 advantage for the hosts, but then "Mr. Money Time" Jimmy Butler began.
The Miami star, who has looked great since the start of this playoffs, scored 20 of his 35 points in the second half and starred in the third quarter in which the Heat crushed Boston with an astonishing 25:46 to break a playoff record for points in a quarter. "I play at an amazing level because my friends allow me to do it," Butler said after the game. They trust me when I'm with the ball and also my defense. That's all a basketball player wants."
His historic game. Jimmy Butler (Photo by Getty Images, Adam Glanzman)
It was Butler's fifth game with at least 30 points in the playoffs and he also added 7 assists, 5 rebounds and no fewer than six steals. Butler joined Dwyane Wade as the second player in Heat history with at least 30 points and 6 steals in a playoff game. "He's one of the best players in this league," Erik Spoelsta praised his star, "That's exactly what we needed. In the decisive moments, Jimmy did everything we needed from him as a scorer and a supporting player."
Although Butler is showing incredible basketball for a second consecutive playoff run, pundits haven't really counted Miami at the start of this playoff run and in this series either. Butler was asked after the game if he expected the Heat to be in this situation and attacked: "And how I expected us to be in that situation. The best part is that we really don't care what you think of us, honestly. We don't care if you think we'll win, we've never cared and won't care."
"We know what a bunch of players we have in the dressing room, we know the coach gives us a lot of confidence and belief," Butler added, "Our circle is small, but everyone loves each other. We guard and score, we play basketball the right way and that's how we know we're always going to have a chance.
But despite stealing the home run as they did to Milwaukee and the Knicks, bookmakers are still giving Miami only a 44 percent chance of making it past this series and qualifying for the Finals. Game two of the series will take place on Friday night in Boston, and another win would put them as clear favorites to meet either Denver or the Lakers in the Grand Finals.
Didn't take a single shot in the last quarter. Tatum (Photo by Getty Images, Adam Glanzman)
On the other hand, Jayson Tatum, who single-handedly dismantled Philadelphia in Game 7 of the previous round, scored 30 points but didn't take a single shot in the fourth quarter. "I don't know why that happened," said Tatum, whose team also lost at home in the series opener against Philadelphia. "We have to play our game, whether it's at home or away," Tatum added.
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- NBA
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- Jimmy Butler
- Miami Heat
- Boston Celtics
