Jimmy Butler just put the NBA world in a frenzy after thumping the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Milwaukee Bucks 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs. The rumored son of Michael Jordan played like the legend, scoring 43 points in a combined fourth quarter and overtime action of 32 minutes.
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Game 5 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat matchup kept us on the edge of our seats the entire time. An overtime thriller saw the Heat win the game and the series to advance to the Eastern Conference Semi-finals. In a remarkable feat, Miami became the first eighth-seeded team to knock out the first seed in a 7-game playoff series.
After a franchise record 56 points performance in Game Four, Jimmy showed up again in Game Five. He had 42 points and 8 rebounds, along with the game-tying basket to send it to overtime. Rarely do you see a player outperform the opposing team single-handedly, and he did just that.
Jimmy Butler and the Heat’s Dominance through statistics
In the podcast ‘The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz’, Tom Haberstroh presented some mind-blowing statistics from the series. He talked about Butler’s performances in the fourth quarter along with the Heat’s scoring with Giannis on the floor. Here is what he had to say:
“In 32 minutes of fourth quarter and overtime action in the series, Jimmy Butler scored 43 points and had one turnover, which is the equivalent of 65 points in a 48 minute game.”
The Miami Heat performed better this series when Giannis was on the floor than when he was on the bench.
Bam made more jump shots in the fourth quarter and OT than the entire Bucks’ team.
That and more from @tomhaberstroh, with his top 13 (!) stats from Heat/Bucks. pic.twitter.com/o9MHook6i6
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) April 27, 2023
The most surprising statistic thrown was the Miami Heat’s better production with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the floor. The two-time MVP is also considered the best two-way player in the league. To have a +6 point differential with him on the floor is not only shocking but unfathomable.
Another stat that stood out from last night’s game was Bam Adebayo’s scoring through jump shots in the fourth quarter and overtime combined. He was 3-7 for the game whereas the entire Bucks team was 2-16 in jumpers.
Jimmy Butler’s Relationship with Michael Jordan
After his stellar performance in the playoffs, fans have started comparing Jimmy Butler to Michael Jordan. Jimmy’s ability to perform in the big moments is reminiscent of the Bulls’ legend, leading to rumors about them having a father-son relationship. To add fuel to the fire, pictures circulated on the internet showing a resemblance between their looks.
🔥 Jimmy Butler x Michael Jordan 🐐 pic.twitter.com/UIBdd92qmS
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) May 28, 2022
However, like most rumors, this happens to be false too. Jimmy had a troubled childhood, with his father leaving him as an infant and his mother walking out on him at the young age of 13. But he confirmed in an interview that he was born to Jimmy Butler II and Londa Butler.