After Jimmy Butler went down with an MCL injury, no one gave the Miami Heat any chance of winning their series against the Boston Celtics. But as fate would have it, the scrappy Erik Spoelstra-coached squad stunned everyone when they took Game 2 away from their heavily-favored opponents.
Just recently, the Heat went home with the 111-101 win over Boston in their own home court. Tyler Herro led a Jimmy Butler-less Miami team by posting 24 points and 14 assists, including hitting 6-of-11 attempts from beyond the arc. Bam Adebayo made 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Caleb Martin dropped the same number of points as the All-Star big man.
For his part, Jaylen Brown dropped 33 points on 56 percent shooting from the field. Jayson Tatum finished the game with 28 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Meanwhile, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis combined only for 15 points against the Heat.
In the end, Miami made 23 shots from downtown while Boston only connected 12 of their 32 three-point attempts. This was the big difference that spelled victory for the Heat as the series now shifts to their home court for Game 3. With a win on the road, they now have a chance to put up a real fight against the Celtics.
Jimmy Butler Approves Miami Heat Game 2 Win Over Boston Celtics in Their Own Home Court
Among those who caught the Heat’s Game 2 victory was no other than All-Star guard Jimmy Butler. In a video he shared on Instagram by House of Highlights, he can be seen watchin the game’s conclusion from a widescreen television:
Over a week ago, Butler went down with an MCL injury during a Play-In game against the Philadelphia 76ers. As a result, the Heat guard received a four to six week recovery period. Add the fact that they got the Boston Celtics as their first round opponents, and people expected Miami to exit the playoffs early.
But as seen in Game 2, Miami’s success doesn’t rely on superstars like Butler. The team’s culture allows anyone in the lineup to step up at any given time to get the win down the road. And with the series moving to South Beach, it’s going to be an interesting showdown between the two rivals.
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