Xuenou > Sports > Jimmy Butler’s return lifts Heat to 2-1 series lead
Jimmy Butler’s return lifts Heat to 2-1 series lead
Jimmy Butler's return lifts Heat to 2-1 series lead,Jimmy Butler badly sprained his ankle at the end of Game 1. It didn't seem to slow him down in Game 3.

Jimmy Butler’s return lifts Heat to 2-1 series lead

Jimmy Butler badly sprained his ankle at the end of Game 1. It didn’t seem to slow him down in Game 3.

Jimmy Butler looking healthy pic.twitter.com/x8zsEJqSgh

— Mink Flow (@currypistonn) May 6, 2023

Butler shook off his injury to score 28 points in 36 minutes. Miami’s lead let Butler sit for all but 3:34 of the final quarter, thanks to a 17-point lead after three quarters.

Not only did Butler ignore his sore ankle, he also ignored a chaotic scene at the end of the third quarter, when Miami’s Cody Zeller scuffled with New York’s Julius Randle and Isaiah Hartenstein.

Who does Cody Zeller think he is pic.twitter.com/jvu5vLgQao

— Teg (@IQfor3) May 6, 2023

Zeller, Hartenstein and Miami’s Caleb Martin all got technical fouls, but Butler just danced off the incident.

Jimmy Butler dancing after the Cody Zeller-Julius Randle scuffle I love this dude LOL pic.twitter.com/GzH8JBinwH

— Matt Hanifan (@mph_824_) May 6, 2023

In a game where neither team could hit a three-pointer — they combined to shoot 15-72 — the Heat simply pushed the Knicks around. They won the rebounding battle despite their size disadvantage, and went 28-31 from the free throw line. 

Bam Adebayo had 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Kevin Love added nine points and four assists. And a masterful two-man troll job with Jimmy Butler when the Knicks stepped out of bounds.

Jimmy Butler and Kevin Love trolling the Knicks pic.twitter.com/exyIbBZsso

— Buhownz (@Demar305) May 6, 2023

But it all started with the unstoppable Jimmy Buckets, who added two blocks and four assists to his game-high 28 points, and only turned the ball over twice. 

The Knicks need to find an answer for Butler soon — and it doesn’t appear to be Josh Hart.

Remember that thing about Josh Hart containing Jimmy Butler? He just scored one hell of a shot over him in the corner… and in classic Jimmy style, said afterwards: “He can’t guard me.” pic.twitter.com/gW9NbS4K08

— Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) May 6, 2023

The series continues Monday night in Miami.