Sizzling Butler scoffs at ‘scorer’
MIAMI — Jimmy Butler doesn’t like being a called a scorer.
Never mind that the moniker fits. He’s averaging nearly 30 points per game this postseason, has reached the 40point mark three times in his past 10 games after having zero such regular-season games since 2017, and carried the Heat over Boston in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Tuesday.
But say “scorer” to him, and he will scoff in disdain.
“I’ve been a quote-unquote scorer at other points in my career, and it didn’t work out too well for me,” Butler said.
Things have been working out just fine in this postseason for Butler and the top-seeded Heat, who’ll look to take a 2-0 lead in the East title series when they play host to the second-seeded Celtics again Thursday night. It won’t be easy: The Celtics are 3-0 after losses in these playoffs, winning those bounce-back games by an average of 14.7 points and getting two of those victories on the road.
The Celtics hope to have Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart (mid-foot sprain) back for Game 2, listing him as probable for Thursday night. Boston was also without Al Horford (health and safety protocols) for Game 1 — he is doubtful for Game 2. And head coach Ime Udoka was sick Wednesday with a non-COVID illness.
“We have a lot of confidence,” Boston center Daniel Theis said Wednesday as his team gathered for a video session.
The Heat have some injury issues as well: Point guard Kyle Lowry will miss his eighth game of the playoffs with a hamstring issue. His replacement, Gabe Vincent — the Heat are 7-0 in these playoffs when he starts — is questionable with a hamstring issue of his own, as is fellow starting guard Max Strus.
Game 1 was a 118-107 loss for the Celtics, though Boston pointed out after the game that the combined scores of the first, second and fourth quarters added up to Celtics 93, Heat 79.
That pesky third quarter, however, counted.
A 39-14 romp by Miami in those 12 minutes — Butler had 17 points in that quarter alone, outscoring the Celtics by himself — turned the whole game around, and the Heat’s lead was not less than nine in the final quarter.
“Expect us to play better,” said Boston forward Jayson Tatum, who had six turnovers in that pivotal quarter. “Expect myself to play a lot better.”
In other words, he’s expecting to get to a higher level. Butler is already there.