Jimmy Butler scored 35 points, including 20 after halftime, as the Miami Heat rallied in the second half to beat the Boston Celtics 123-116 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night; watch Game 2 live on Sky Sports from 1.30am on Saturday
Thursday 18 May 2023 07:46, UK
Jimmy Butler scored 35 points, including 20 after halftime, as the Miami Heat rallied in the second half to beat the Boston Celtics 123-116 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night.
"I'm playing at an incredible level because they are allowing me to do so," Butler said after the game. "They are not putting a limit on my game. They are trusting me with the ball, on the defensive end. I think that's what any basketball player wants.
"We are just playing really good basketball. More than anything, we are staying together through the good and through the bad."
Miami proved that by turning things around with a franchise-record 46 points in the third quarter, after trailing by nine points at the half, with Butler at the crux of the action. It would be his fifth game with 30 or more points this postseason and he added seven assists, six steals and five rebounds.
The 33-year-old was ruthless within the paint as his side took a 103-91 lead into the final 12 minutes of the game, prompting a few boos from the TD Garden crowd.
Boston responded, scoring the first seven points of the final period before a three-pointer by Gabe Vincent ended the run. However, Butler hit back after Malcolm Brogdon failed to connect on one of two free throws.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra described him as "one of the premier two-way basketball players of this association".
He would showcase himself as exactly that, but wasn't the only one dismantling the opposition defence. Bam Adebayo added 20 points and eight rebounds, while Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, Vincent and Max Strus all added 15 points apiece.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown attempted to inspire a Celtics comeback, scoring 30 and 22 points respectively. But neither were able to recover from Miami's devastating fourth-quarter display.
"I don't know why," Tatum said of his team's struggles. "You've still got to play the game, you've got to make plays, regardless of whether you're home or away."
The Celtics, who are at their best when they're defending and getting up more shots than their opponents, were 10 of 29 from beyond the arc, and head coach Joe Mazzulla was quick to comment on it.
"We lost our offensive purpose," he said, none more so evident when he was captured by broadcast cameras throwing a clipboard in frustration.
Game 2 is also in Boston live on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event from 1.30am on Saturday.
