Butler shines in M iam i win over Boston to extend lead

LOS ANGELES: Jimmy Butler led a fourth-quarter fightback as the Miami Heat stunned the Boston Celtics 111-105 to take a 2-0 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference finals series on Friday.

Miami talisman Butler finished with 27 points as the eighth seeds grabbed a second straight victory at Boston’s TD Garden to leave the Celtics with a mountain to climb if they are to reach the NBA finals.

Miami had trailed by 11 points early in the fourth quarter and the Celtics led by as much as nine with under seven minutes of the final frame remaining. But Butler led a sensational 20-9 Miami run in the final minutes of the fourth quarter that turned the game on its head and let his team just two wins away from returning to the NBA finals as the best-of-seven series heads to Miami for games three and four.

Nine of Butler’s 27 points came during the fourth-quarter rally, with the Miami star fired up ater an angry nose-to-nose exchange with Boston’s Grant Williams midway through the fourth quarter.

At that stage in the game, Boston led 9689, but Miami launched a devastating late run that turned the contest decisively in favor of the Heat.

Butler later admited that Williams’ apparent taunts had fueled his inspired late contribution.

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said his team’s batling, never-say-die approach had been forged through the challenges of the regular season when they only just scraped into the playoffs.

Butler received offensive support from Caleb Martin, with 25 points off the bench, while Bam Adebayo delivered another all-round effort with 22 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists.

Duncan Robinson added 15 points from the bench, including three three-pointers.

A shellshocked Boston, meanwhile, were let reflecting on another shatering defeat at home despite 34 points from Jayson Tatum.

Jaylen Brown finished with 16 points but had a wayward shooting night, making only seven of 23 from the field, while Robert Williams III and Malcolm Brogdon had 13 points apiece.

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla blamed indiscipline and mental frailty for his team’s defeat.

Tatum, meanwhile, insisted that all was not lost despite Boston dropping the opening two games of the series on their home court. Game three takes place in Miami on Sunday.