Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler was not in the lineup Wednesday in Game 2 of the East first-round series against the Boston Celtics. But his trash talk game was on point.
The Heat stunned the top-seeded Celtics 111-101 in front of what turned into a lifeless crowd at TD Garden in Boston, Mass.
Butler had a meme post ready for the very occasion of a Heat upset win in Game 2.
Butler channeled his inner Jaylen Brown with a 5-word post on Instagram. The Heat’s injured star had someone edit his face onto Brown’s body in a post from last year when Boston was down 0-3 to Miami in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals.
“Don’t let us get one,” the caption read on Butler’s post.
Jimmy Butler does it again pic.twitter.com/Zw37Z5DTQu
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) April 25, 2024
The Celtics did eventually get one. Then two. Then three. The Heat were put in a position to nearly lose a 0-3 series lead — which had never happened before in NBA history. But just like during Wednesday night’s Game 2 win, the Heat won Game 7 over the Celtics last year on the road.
The Heat used a full team effort to upset the Celtics on their own home floor in Game 2. All five Miami starters scored in double figures, led by Tyler Herro’s 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 14 assists.
Herro was a maestro all game at getting the rest of his team involved. With Butler out of the lineup due to a lingering knee injury, the Kentucky alum took on the role of being the team’s primary ball-handler.
Bam Adebayo and Caleb Martin flanked Herro with 21 points apiece. Youngsters Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic did their part as well.
The Celtics had been basically unbeatable all year at home with a 37-4 record within the friendly confines of TD Garden. But the Heat have now snatched away homecourt advantage in the 1-8 series.
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