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Jimmy Butler fifth player in NBA history to record 25 points on 50% shooting through six playoff games

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Sports Editor

Updated01 May 2023

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler joins LeBron James, Michael Jordan for this record

Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat is the fifth player in NBA history to record at least 25 points on 50% shooting through six straight games of a postseason, joining LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Bernard King, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (twice).

In Miami’s 108-101 second-round win over the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, the six-time All-Star logged 25 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 44 minutes of action. Plus, the forward shot 8-of-16 (50%) from the floor and 9-of-11 (81.8%) at the foul line.

Per multiple NBA betting sites, Jimmy Butler and the Heat have seventh-shortest odds to win the championship. Check out which sportsbooks are showing greater odds for the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers in the East.

“We’re just playing great basketball,” Butler said in a postgame interview after suffering an ankle sprain in the fourth quarter. “We’re together, at home, on the road, through the good and through the bad. We believe that we can do something special.”

New York outscored the Heat 32-21 in the opening quarter. However, Miami dropped 31 points on the Knicks to start the second half. Gabe Vincent added 20 points on 11 of 28 shooting. Last Friday, the Heat became the sixth No. 8 seed in NBA history to defeat a No. 1 seed in a seven-game playoff series.

Jimmy Butler is the fifth player in NBA history to record 25 points on 50% shooting through six playoff games, joining LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Bernard King, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Miami had a rough start to begin the season, going 4-7 through its first 11 games. At the beginning of April, the team was only three games above .500. With a one-game lead in the East semifinals, the Heat are in position to upset another contender. “It’s the playoffs, number one. You expect it to be tough,” coach Erik Spoelstra said.

“Two, just because the regular season didn’t go the way we wanted it to go or other people wanted it to go, doesn’t mean we weren’t developing grit and tough habits and good things. It wasn’t just from the play-in.” Jimmy Butler staying healthy is the key. Joining LeBron James and Michael Jordan for any NBA record should speak for itself.

Through six playoff games this postseason, Butler is averaging 35.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.8 steals, and 38.3 minutes per game. The 12-year veteran is also shooting 58.5% from the floor and 42.9% outside the arc.

In the Heat’s 119-114 first-round win over Milwaukee in Game 4, the forward scored a career-high 56 points in 41 minutes played. Along with notching nine boards, two assists, and one block, Jimmy Butler shot 19-of-28 (67.9%) from the field and drained three 3-pointers.

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