Jimmy Butler Stares Down Injuries, Elimination and Saves Heat’s Season

[{"selector":"#anim-8292812d-1595-4b39-94c0-ef6b57d37042 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-6.847286848490086%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-687cb870-54c3-4200-bc9c-1a73d876fc66","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.60509%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e32739a6-e17e-40a0-b9c4-cffd9fd32663","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(-180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] BOSTON — It was over. Finished. The Celtics won. The Heat lost. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were headed to their first Finals.

[{"selector":"#anim-2708e105-3cfe-4c12-9982-7597d1e3228f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-3.4259487907471637%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-75ae0dd0-866e-4c59-b1a8-662bfe464426","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-31acdff7-6b69-4dc6-b88f-5ad2d0148441","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry were headed home. Draymond Green was preparing for Boston.

[{"selector":"#anim-6e46e02a-6581-4cd0-abe6-05a7731cabcd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.205852407544675%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-20ee081f-029d-4322-90c9-57e179c8677b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.82278%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-db0005f1-e192-4fe3-842f-58b39382d1ff","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(-180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] The NBA was, too. More than 19,000 fans packed TD Garden for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday night expecting a coronation.

[{"selector":"#anim-af593575-61d2-4725-8f79-2e1d250d1797 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(5.535714076675344%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0c2fdc58-4234-41c0-b9c0-5e51547a064f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bb3bd49b-c45a-4c63-80c9-c9ed1bdb66a6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.28663%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] They left with their team headed back to Miami—one loss away from elimination.

[{"selector":"#anim-820cd7f8-f4c0-4654-84a0-c13a0cd5f57d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.118701427181556%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-762411d5-e37e-4494-9a56-b7cf8f540650","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e647021e-20b3-490a-abaa-6e5de822e689","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Butler did it. Ten years ago LeBron James took the same floor, stared down the same crowd and fended off conference finals elimination with a 45-point performance that would (briefly) define him.

[{"selector":"#anim-c85671cb-8814-4b86-90a2-b806ba5d64f0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-29fbe5b7-275d-46b8-93a9-7525d7b8b3f3","keyframes":[{"transform":"rotate(-540deg) scale(0.1)","opacity":0},{"transform":"none","opacity":1}],"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both","iterations":1}] On Saturday, Butler, his knee sore, his team battered, stepped up and delivered 47 of his own.

[{"selector":"#anim-8db6ec87-fd63-42f0-9081-6f56647bdb4d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(40.89262308181826%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3327fe17-73dd-409e-b5c8-fa047a8a54e9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c9942bd4-74b7-4464-aeb1-0b386ce93c76","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b200fcae-43d0-486a-ac83-a400787a5415","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] He made 55% of his shots. He made 50% of his threes. He made all 11 free throws and came within one rebound and two assists of a triple-double.

[{"selector":"#anim-a00b4fe9-5b9a-47f5-a084-fa074b924efb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.18445112354406%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c34d78fe-9115-43c3-8a46-c16f52d83559","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3b3a0ba2-0651-4d58-9dfe-049592cb4686","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] “Jimmy brought his competitive will tonight,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. “It was a will that would not let us lose.”