Jimmy Butler is among the few players in NBA history who tend to elevate their game to another level in the playoffs, and he was at it again on Monday.
Butler exploded for 56 points in a Game 4 win over the Milwaukee Bucks and Hall of Famer Reggie Miler thinks it might have been the greatest playoff performance in Miami Heat history.
“This may be the greatest playoff performance by any Heat player,” Miller said. “And that’s saying a lot about Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and all the championships, Alonzo Mourning, that’s been in this uniform. This might be the greatest.”
"This may be the greatest playoff performance by any Heat player."
– Reggie Miller was in AWE of Jimmy Butler 🗣️
Agree or disagree with Reggie? 🤔pic.twitter.com/vIdFAqwcpp
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 25, 2023
Butler’s 56 points are a franchise record for the playoffs, and it is tied for the fourth-highest scoring performance in postseason history. He shot 19-28 from the field, 3-8 from beyond the arc, and 15-18 from the line in what was a very efficient performance.
Charles Barkley called it the best playoff performance he has seen since he has been on television and it really was something special. Butler has given the Heat a 3-1 lead in this series now, but is it really the best playoff performance ever in Heat history? Let’s have a look at two other contenders.
The Most Iconic Playoff Performances In Miami Heat History
Dwyane Wade is regarded as the greatest player in franchise history and he had plenty of great moments in his time with the Heat. Wade’s finest hour, though, was undoubtedly the 2006 NBA Finals, and his performance in Game 3, with the Heat down 2-0, might have been his best. He finished with 42 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals to lead his team to a 98-96 win. The Heat would win the next three games as well to capture their first NBA championship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRW81-8zg8I
The Heat had some down years after their title win, but then LeBron James and Chris Bosh arrived in 2010 to form a Big 3. Their trip to the NBA Finals in 2011 ended in disastrous fashion, though and the following year, it looked like they wouldn’t even make it that far.
The Heat were down 3-2 to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals when LeBron had what was easily his best showing in a Heat jersey. James finished with 45 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists as the Heat dominated the Celtics to win 98-79. They would go on to win Game 7 and then beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals to clinch their second championship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN17J-KMWnY
Was Butler’s dazzling display greater than these two performances? Perhaps the fact that those two performances came much deeper into the playoffs might give them the edge, but there is no doubt that Butler’s performance is very much part of that conversation.
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