Butler racked up 13 points (6-14 FG, 1-2 3Pt), seven rebounds, seven assists, one block and one steal in 38 minutes during Thursday's 104-93 loss to the Nuggets in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Butler filled the box score in the loss but was noticeably passive on the offensive end. He has been arguably the best player throughout the playoffs to this point, meaning there is likely to be some fatigue setting in, and the 13 points was his lowest output in this postseason. He will be doing everything he can to keep the Heat alive, starting with Game 2 in Denver on Monday.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Lifts Heat with all-around showing
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Butler posted 28 points (12-28 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 1-2 FT), seven rebounds, six assists and three steals across 43 minutes during Monday's 103-84 victory over the Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Butler once again did it all for Miami to help lead them to the NBA Finals, posting a team-high mark in points and steals while connecting on a team-best shot total from the field. Butler has tallied at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in five of his last seven outings.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Strong fourth quarter not enough
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Butler totaled 24 points (5-21 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 12-14 FT), 11 rebounds, eight assists and one steal in 47 minutes during Saturday's 104-103 loss to Boston in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Butler labored offensively for much of the game, but as usual, he picked up his play in the fourth and nearly willed Miami to a Game 6 victory. The superstar forward has averaged 24.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.5 steals thus far in the Eastern Conference Finals, but he may need to submit a signature, career-defining performance in Game 7 if Miami is going defeat Boston on the road.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Finally cools off
Rotowire
Butler produced 14 points (5-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 4-6 FT), five rebounds, five assists and two steals across 34 minutes during Thursday's 110-97 loss to Boston in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Butler was unable to get his team over the line Thursday, managing just 14 points in 34 minutes. Despite having been arguably the best player throughout the playoffs, Butler was bound for a subpar game at some point. The Heat still lead the series 3-2, but the Celtics now have the momentum heading back to Miami. Expect Butler to come out aggressively Saturday in hopes of avoiding a Game 7.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Leads team with 29 points
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Butler closed Tuesday's 116-99 loss to the Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals with 29 points (9-21 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 10-12 FT), nine rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal over 39 minutes.
Things didn't come easy for Butler in Game 4, as Boston's defense finally showed up and made the All-Star fight for every point. Butler was successful in drawing contact, which resulted in 10 points from the charity stripe. If you eliminate that total, Game 4 marked a significant scoring regression for Butler, who is Miami's top offensive engine.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Shines in Game 2 win
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Butler registered 27 points (12-25 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-3 FT), eight rebounds, six assists, two blocks and three steals across 41 minutes during Friday's 111-105 victory over Boston in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Butler had another impressive outing, but by now, that has become a trend in the playoffs, as he's now reached the 25-point plateau in 12 of his last 13 contests. He's been doing more than just scoring, though, and his all-around contributions have transformed the All-Star forward into one of the best players in the entire postseason. He's averaging 30.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game across 14 outings in Miami's deep playoff run.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Does it all to lead in Game 1 win
Rotowire
Butler closed Wednesday's 123-116 victory over the Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals with 35 points (12-25 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 9-10 FT), five rebounds, seven assists and six steals over 43 minutes.
Butler did it all for Miami in Wednesday's Game 1 victory on the road in Boston, leading all players in scoring while leading the team in shots made, assists, steals and minutes played. Butler, who scored 20 points in the second half alone, surpassed the 30-point mark for the first time since Game 5 of the quarterfinal round.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Modest performance Friday
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Butler finished with 24 points (7-22 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 10-11 FT), eight rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes during Friday's 96-92 win over the Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Butler did just enough in the victory, lifting the Heat into the Conference Finals. While it was certainly not his best game of the playoffs, his mere presence provided the Heat with the lift they needed down the stretch. They will now face either the Celtics or the 76ers for the opportunity to advance to the NBA Finals.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Will play Friday
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Butler (ankle) is available for Friday's Game 6 versus New York, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports.
As expected, Butler has been upgraded from probable to available and will suit up for a fourth straight contest after missing Game 2 due to a right ankle sprain. Over his past three appearances, the All-Star forward has averaged 24.7 points, 7.3 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocks in 40.3 minutes per game.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Expected to suit up Friday
Rotowire
Butler is probable for Friday's Game 6 versus the Knicks due to a right ankle sprain.
Butler should suit up for his fourth straight game despite dealing with a nagging ankle injury. He has averaged 24.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocks in 41.0 minutes across the four contests so far this series.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Does it all to lead team in Game 5
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Butler notched 19 points (5-12 FG, 9-11 FT), seven rebounds, nine assists, two blocks and four steals across 43 minutes during Wednesday's 112-103 loss to the Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Butler once again led the way for Miami in the second-round battle against New York, leading the team in scoring, assists, blocks and steals in the Game 5 loss. Butler has tallied at least 15 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks in two straight games.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Officially available Wednesday
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Butler (ankle) is available for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Knicks, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
Butler was questionable for Wednesday's matchup, but he participated in the team's morning shootaround and was expected to play. Over his last two appearances, he's averaged 27.5 points, 6.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds in 39.0 minutes per game.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Expected to play
Rotowire
Butler (ankle) is listed as questionable for Wednesday's Game 5 versus New York, but he participated in Miami's morning shootaround and is expected to play, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
As expected, Butler will likely suit up for a third straight contest after missing Game 2 due to a sprained right ankle. The All-Star forward posted 27 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks across 42 minutes in Game 4, so it's safe to say the issue is a non-factor for Wednesday's potential series-clinching matchup, though he presumably won't be officially cleared until closer to the 7:30 p.m. ET tipoff.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Listed as questionable for Game 5
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Butler (ankle) is questionable for Wednesday's Game 5 in New York.
After missing Game 2 due to a right ankle sprain, Butler has appeared in back-to-back contests, posting 27.5 points, 6.5 assists and 2.0 blocks in 39.0 minutes. Despite the questionable designation, the All-Star forward will likely suit up again Wednesday, but his official availability presumably won't be determined until closer to the 7:30 p.m. ET tipoff.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Does it all in Game 4 victory
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Butler supplied 27 points (9-17 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 8-9 FT), six rebounds, 10 assists, two blocks and two steals over 42 minutes during Monday's 109-101 win over the Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Butler led Miami in scoring, assists, blocks, steals and minutes played in Monday's Game 4 victory while joining Bam Adebayo as the two Heat players to record double-double performances. Butler tallied his first double-digit assist total of the series, posting his second double-double in three games.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Listed as available
Rotowire
Butler (ankle) is listed as available for Monday's Game 4 against New York.
As expected, Butler has been upgraded from questionable to available and will suit up for a second straight contest after missing Game 2 due to a sprained right ankle. The All-Star forward posted 28 points (9-21 FG) in 36 minutes during Miami's Game 3 win and is averaging 34.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.6 steals across seven postseason appearances thus far.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Questionable, but expected to play
Rotowire
Butler (ankle) is listed as questionable but is expected to play in Monday's Game 4 versus New York, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
After missing Game 2 due to an ankle injury he suffered in Game 1, Butler returned to action in Game 3 and posted 28 points (9-21 FG) across 36 minutes. He'll presumably suit up again Monday, but Miami will likely wait until a few hours before the 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off to officially decide the All-Star's availability.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Shines in return to action
Rotowire
Butler posted 28 points (9-21 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 10-11 FT), four rebounds, three assists and two blocks over 36 minutes during Saturday's 105-86 victory over New York in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
There's a solid argument to say Butler has been the most dominant player in the 2022-23 NBA Playoffs, and he backed that up with another stellar display in this game, carrying the Heat to a 2-1 series lead. Excluding the Play-In Tournament, Butler has scored at least 25 points in every playoff game this season.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Available for Game 3
Rotowire
Butler (ankle) will play in Saturday's Game 3 against the Knicks, Tim Reynolds of Associated Press reports.
Butler has been upgraded from questionable to available Saturday after missing Game 2 with a right ankle sprain. The star forward should replace Caleb Martin in the starting lineup. Butler is averaging 35.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.8 steals in 38.2 minutes across his six postseason appearances this season.
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Heat's Jimmy Butler: Officially deemed questionable
Rotowire
Butler (ankle) is questionable for Saturday's Game 3 versus the Knicks.
Despite being listed as questionable, earlier reports indicate that Butler plans to play in Game 3 after missing Game 2 with a right ankle sprain. Caleb Martin (back) and Haywood Highsmith (knee) would likely receive decreased minutes if Butler suits up Saturday.
