The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Butler, Bam get it done for Heat in ‘gnarly’ Game 2 victory
Boston’s Williams and ‘Jimmy Buckets’ butt heads as the Heat take 2-0 lead.
Asked if Boston ‘poked the bear’ by getting Jimmy Butler angry, Boston’s Jaylen Brown said, ‘Next question.’ But Butler said there was no doubt that the attempt to get him off his game actually fired him up.
Jimmy Butler went forehead-to-forehead with the Boston Celtics, and the Heat are heading back to Miami with an opportunity to advance to the NBA Finals.
Butler scored 27 points, hitting back-to-back buckets to tie the game and give Miami the lead, and the eighth-seeded Heat left Boston with a 111-105 victory Friday night and a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
Butler also provided eight rebounds, six assists and an emotional spark after Boston’s Grant Williams started jawing with him: Butler stared down Williams, with both players drawing technical fouls for the double head-butt.
Then “Jimmy Buckets” scored and scored some more — nine points in all during a 23-9 run that turned a nine-point deficit into a 105-100 lead.
“I knew that was going to be good for us,” said Caleb Martin, who came off the bench to score 25 points. “We’ll take mad Jimmy at any time. You could kind of see it in his eyes he was ready to go after that.”
Bam Adebayo had 22 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists for Miami, which returns home with a chance to sweep and become just the second No. 8 seed to reach the NBA Finals.
Game 3 is Sunday night.
“He’s going to have to make every single tough shot the rest of the series,” Williams said. “And I’m not going to turn and look otherwise because I respect him as an (expletive) player.”
Jayson Tatum had 34 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for Boston.
But the Celtics star went 0 for 3 with two turnovers in the fourth quarter, when Boston blew an 89-77 lead en route to a second
home loss in three nights.
“It’s tough. It’s a challenge. But there’s no point being up here sad and (stuff ),” Tatum said. “They came here to win two games; they did. You’ve got to give them credit. But we’re not dead or anything. We have a great opportunity. I still have the confidence. We have to get ready for Game 3.”
Jaylen Brown scored 16 points on 7-for-23 shooting; he went 1 for 5 with a turnover in the final
quarter, when Miami outscored Boston 36-22.
“We’ve got some dogs, and I love it. I love every bit of it,” Butler said on the postgame TV broadcast. “Guys never quit. We never give up.”
The Celtics led by 11 in the third quarter and made it a dozen early in the fourth.
Williams made a 3-pointer to make it 96-87 and was talking to Butler on the way back down the court. Butler scored at the other end and was fouled by Williams; the two players leaned into each other — drawing double technicals — before Butler hit the ensuing free throw.
“Some healthy competition. I ain’t going to lie to you. Healthy competition. And I love it. I’m always here to compete. I like to talk, at times,” Butler said. “As long as we get the win, I’m good with it.”
Asked if Boston “poked the bear” by getting Butler angry, Brown said, “Next question.” But Butler said there was no doubt that the attempt to get him off his game actually fired him up.
“Yes it did,” Butler said. “But that’s just competition at its finest.