Butler’s 56 power Heat to 3-1 lead
Jimmy Butler had a Heat playoff record and career-high 56 points and rallied the team from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the Bucks 119-114 on Monday night to put the NBA’s top overall seed in a 3-1 hole in the first-round series and on the brink of elimination.
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from a twogame absence with a bruised back and had a tripledouble — 26 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists.
The Bucks led almost the whole way, until the Heat roared back in the final minutes. Butler had 21 points in the fourth, and the Heat still trailed 101-89 after a layup by Brook Lopez with 6:09 left.
That’s when a 13-0 run, capped by a Butler dunk off a Bucks turnover, put Miami up for the first time all night with 3:17 left at 102-101. The lead changed hands four more times, but Butler’s three with 1:20 left put the Heat ahead for good.
♦ Ime Udoka reached a deal with the Rockets to become their next coach. Udoka led the Celtics to the NBA Finals last season, then was suspended for this season after the disclosure of an inappropriate relationship with a female Celtics employee.
♦ Hawks guard Dejounte Murray was suspended for Game 5 against the Celtics without pay for making contact with and verbally abusing referee Gediminas Petraitis at the end of Game 4.
♦ Kings star De’Aaron Fox broke the index finger on his shooting hand in Game 4 against the Warriors, but there’s still hope he will try to play in Game 5.
♦ Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss a third straight game against the Suns with a sprained right knee.
♦ Former Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen of the Jazz won the season’s most improved award.
♦ Oregon transfer forward Quincy Guerrier committed to Illinois. Guerrier averaged nine points and 4.5 rebounds last season while shooting 42% from the field and a career-high 35% from three.
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS Maple Leafs rally, top Lightning in OT
Alexander Kerfoot scored on the power play at 4:14 of overtime, and the Maple Leafs beat the Lightning 5-4 to take a commanding 3-1 firstround series lead. Alex Killorn scored twice in helping the Lightning build a 4-1 lead that the Maple Leafs erased with three goals — two by Auston Matthews — in a span of 6:20 in the third period. Morgan Rielly’s second goal of the series tied it 4-all at 16:04.
♦ Jonas Siegenthaler scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period, Akira Schmid had 22 saves in another shutdown start and the Devils beat the Rangers 3-1 to even their first-round series at 2-2.
MLB Rays set MLB mark with 14-0 start at home
Rookie Taj Bradley won his third consecutive start and the Rays set a modern-era MLB record with their 14th consecutive home win to begin a season, beating the Astros 8-3. The Rays had shared the mark dating to 1901 with the 2009 Dodgers.
♦ Spencer Strider took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and struck out 13 as the Braves snapped a four-game skid, hitting five home runs in an 11-0 victory over the Marlins.
♦ The Orioles rallied from a four-run deficit against Chris Sale to beat the Red Sox 5-4 for their seventh straight victory.