Jimmy Butler had a historic night in Game 3 of the 2020 NBA Finals. It took absolutely everything he had to get the Miami Heat their first win of the series, especially down two of their best players.
Offensively, he was nearly perfect, shooting. 700 from the floor and racking up 40 points. He also notched a triple-double in a 13 assist and 11 rebound performance. This makes him just the third player to ever record a 40-point triple-double in the NBA Finals.
For the Heat, this was one of the greatest offensive performances in franchise history when it comes to NBA Finals games. Butler joined LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as the only players to ever score 30 points in a finals game as a member of the Heat.
Late in the game, with the win nearly secured, Butler uttered the words “They’re in trouble” in response to James saying something similar to him early in the game.
Speaking of LeBron James, this was the first time he had ever been outscored, outrebounded
Butler did all of this without even attempting a three-pointer. In fact, 38 of his points in the paint or from the
For the Heat, this was a huge win that will give the team a boost of confidence. After the game, Butler talked about how the win proved that the Lakers could be beaten.
This victory gives the Miami Heat some life. With Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo still out, they will look to keep their momentum rolling and get some of their key pieces back in Game 4. Whether they are able to play or not, Jimmy Butler has shown that he has what it takes to carry the Heat in the NBA Finals.
