Jimmy Butler scores 45 points, Heat defeat Hawks for 2-0 lead

Jimmy Butler strolled off the flooring when his evening’s job was total, raised his arms airborne and also listened to a sold-out field serenade him with screams.

That really did not take place in the bubble 2 years back, because no one existed.

However Butler was equally as great Tuesday evening as he was throughout that bubble run — and also the Miami Warm required all his heroics.

Butler racked up a playoff career-high 45 factors, consisting of an individual 7-0 diminish the stretch to make a decision the video game, and also the Warm resisted the Atlanta Hawks 115-105 in Video game 2 of their Eastern Seminar first-round collection Tuesday evening.

“We go as he goes,” Warm guard Gabe Vincent stated.

Butler was 15 of 25 from the flooring, 11 for 12 from the line and also 4 of 7 from 3-point array. Because of this, the top-seeded Warm are mosting likely to Atlanta with a 2-0 lead.

Tyler Herro racked up 15 for Miami, while Max Strus racked up 14 and also Vincent included 11 for top-seeded Miami.

Bogdan Bogdanovic racked up 19 of his 29 factors in the 4th quarter for Atlanta. Trae Youthful obtained his racking up touch back — he had 25 factors in Video game 2, after being held to 8 in Video game 1 — yet likewise had a career-worst 10 turn overs for the eighth-seeded Hawks.

“If the refs are mosting likely to allow them be as physical as they are and also not call fouls, it’s mosting likely to be difficult to truly do anything anyways,” Youthful stated.

De’Andre Seeker had 16 and also John Collins completed with 13 factors and also 10 rebounds for the Hawks.

Butler’s previous playoff ideal was 40, done two times, both in the bubble when the Warm made the 2020 NBA Finals. The Warm required every one of his heroics after that, and also they required them all on Tuesday too.

Bogdanovic’s 3-pointer with 3:15 left obtained Atlanta within 104-101.

From there, it was all Butler.

“Prominent basketball from a prominent basketball gamer, among the most effective two-way gamers in the video game,” Warm guard Kyle Lowry stated.

Butler had a dunk, a 3-pointer and also an additional dunk — done in the period of 56 secs — to transform points from unsure to secured down, placing Miami up 10 with 1:20 continuing to be and also making certain the Warm would certainly round off the win.

“Simply remaining hostile,” Butler stated. “Taking what the protection offers me.”

As would certainly be anticipated in a playoff collection, pleasantries started being traded with even more consistency. The very first fifty percent included 16 fouls by Atlanta and also 14 by Miami — a season-high for the Hawks, one off the season-high for the Warm, and also those 30 personals didn’t also consist of a dual technological that Lowry and also Seeker obtained for obtaining in person.

Youthful grabbed a technological for saying a nasty versus him late in the 3rd too, the capper to a duration where the Warm went from hardly in advance to owners of a double-digit lead entering into the last 12 mins. He played the whole 3rd quarter, yet handled just 2 shots because period — making both — and also didn’t reach the nasty line, while dedicating 5 turn overs because duration alone.

“I assume the distinction in the video game tonight was turn overs,” Hawks instructor Nate McMillan stated. “You can not have 19 turn overs in a championship game and also anticipate to win video games. They racked up 21 factors off of our turn overs. A great deal of those was available in shift … and also I assumed that was the distinction.”

The very first fifty percent was backward and forward, the video game close for much of those opening up quarters, and also Kevin Huerter’s stepback 3-pointer with 8:59 left in the 3rd drew Atlanta within 64-62. The Hawks went almost 3 mins without racking up once more, and also the video game looked extremely various after those 3 mins.

The Warm went 4 for 4 because stretch — 3-pointers by Butler, P.J. Tucker and also Strus, with a layup by Butler in there too — and also it amounted to an 11-0 run that pressed the lead out to 75-62. The margin stayed at the very least 8 factors for the following 11 mins, prior to Atlanta started clawing back.

Youthful struck Collins with a strike for a layup, and also Bogdanovic’s lengthy jumper obtained Atlanta within 94-90 midway via the 4th.

However the Hawks never ever obtained the lead. Butler attended that. He stated a Monday evening discussion with Tucker reverberated — Tucker primarily informed him to rack up even more — and also Butler plainly paid attention.

“Simply exclusive two-way basketball that he displayed this evening,” Warm instructor Erik Spoelstra stated.

TIP-INS

Hawks: Atlanta had 3 gamers (Seeker, Huerter and also Bogdanovic) with 3 fouls by halftime for just the 2nd time this period. The various other was Jan. 14 — likewise at Miami. … Amongst the modifications the Hawks attempted: Collins began Video game 2, and also Huerter opened up the video game securing Lowry.

Warm: Duncan Robinson, that made 8 3’s and also racked up 27 factors in Video game 1, do without a shot in 7 mins. … Football tale David Beckham remained in participation. … Returning throughout of the routine period, Miami is 8-1 in its last 9 video games. … Miami is currently 5-1 versus Atlanta this period.

2-0 LEADS

Groups that take a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven match have actually at some point won the collection 92.4% of the moment. The Hawks have actually never ever rallied from 0-2 down in a collection (0-25) and also the Warm have actually never ever squandered a 2-0 lead (17-0) — yet there were 4 such rallies in last period’s playoffs, 2 by the Los Angeles Clippers and also 2 others by Milwaukee.

GOING RESIDENCE

Atlanta currently plays host to video games 3 and also 4. Given that Jan. 17, the Hawks are an NBA-best 20-3 in the house.

UP NEXT

Video Game 3 is Friday in Atlanta.