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ORLANDO • Jimmy Butler insisted that even with two key starters injured and two double-digit losses on the books, the Miami Heat did not finish in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals.
On Sunday, he proved it, delivering a 40-point triple-double in the Heat’s 115-104 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers that cut the best-of-seven championship series deficit to 2-1.
“Great,” was LeBron James’s verdict.
The Lakers superstar should know. On his 10th trip to the Masterpiece Series, he was outscored in points, rebounds and assist for the first time in a Finals game.
Butler completed the first playoff triple-double of his career with 13 assists and 11 rebounds, and he did so with 70 percent shooting, without attempting a single triple, while defending James.
“How else do you say it besides Jimmy’s fucking Butler?” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of the third player in Finals history to score 40 points on a triple-double after James and the Lakers legend Jerry West.
“This was a very urgent game, and he was doing it on both ends of the court. He just made his mark on every important part of the game.”
The fifth-seeded Heat in the Eastern Conference have already exceeded expectations by reaching the title series, in which they have been hampered since starting center Bam Adebayo (neck) and point guard Goran Dragic (foot) fell. for injuries in Game 1.
Butler, who doesn’t throw in the towel, said the effort was the key to bouncing back and hitting a series despite the absence of his teammates.
“You have to empty the tank on every possession,” he said after playing 45 minutes for the second straight game. “We are going to put it all down.”
Kelly Olynyk and Tyler Herro did their part for Miami in the NBA bubble at Disney World with 17 points each.
GOING TO THE PLATE
How else do you say it besides Jimmy’s fucking Butler? This was a very urgent game, and he was doing it on both ends of the court.
ERIK SPOELSTRA, coach of the Miami Heat, with his All-Star forward taking the offensive and defensive load in the forced absence of injuries from his teammates Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo.
The Heat also switched their defense on Anthony Davis, who dominated the first two games of the series. They put him together twice early, forcing him to pass. The forward did not have a shot attempt in the first quarter. Davis also suffered from early foul problems, scoring just 15 points.
James had 25 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, a team-high, while Markieff Morris and Kyle Kuzma each had 19 points off the bench, though Los Angeles suffered 20 turnovers.
“We know we can’t turn the ball over against this team,” said James, who was responsible for eight and left the court with about 10 seconds left on the clock.
“It starts with myself, being the starting point guard on the team.”
Spoelstra said there is no timeline yet for a possible return of Adebayo or Dragic. The fourth game will take place today.
In the meantime, Butler says he will carry the load he needs, for the sake of his teammates on the court and for those left sidelined with injury.
“I go out and go to war for those guys because when they are there, they go to war with me and me,” he said.
FRANCE PRESS AGENCY, REUTERS
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