Miami Heat’s All-Star Jimmy Butler made it a habit to be at his best when the light shines the brightest. This is why it doesn’t surprise that it was Butler who willed the Heat to a 118-107 comeback win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics had a better first half, going on a break with an eight-point lead. But the second half was a whole other story, especially the third quarter. The Heat came out of the locker room as a team on a mission and absolutely demolished Boston with a 39-14 outing in the third period. The Celtics made the result more bearable in the fourth, but there was nothing they could do to avoid defeat.
Butler was the best player on the floor on Tuesday night, scoring 41 points to go with nine rebounds and five assists. The 32-year-old player was also dominant on the defensive side of the ball, picking up four steals and three blocks. Two of his steals came early in the third quarter and resulted in five points. This provided a spark Miami needed to turn things around.
“This level is high level, this competition, and he senses it, and he knows it,” said Heat’s head coach Erik Spoelstra after the game. “He feels it. And he was able to produce and put us in a position to feel comfortable to be able to win this game.”
Three more Heat players were in double digits against the Celtics, while Tyler Herro had 18 points and eight boards off the bench.
The Heat vs. Celtics series remains in Miami for Game 2, which is scheduled for Thursday night.
