by Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler scored the fourth-most points in NBA playoff history, leading a stunning 119-114 comeback victory in Monday’s Game 4 against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The victory in front of home fans in Miami gave the Heat a 3-1 series lead against the top seed in the league, and came on the heels of a spectacular 56-point blowout by Butler.
Butler had 35 points in three quarters as his Heat trailed 89-78 going into the final period, but after the Bucks jumped out to lead 101-89 with just over six minutes left, Miami came roaring back.
The Heat put together a 13-0 run from that point to put their noses into the lead, setting up Butler to take his team home.
Butler, a six-time All-Star, had 21 points in the fourth quarter to finish with 56 overall, shooting 19-of-28 from the field, three-of-eight from deep and 15-of-18 from the free throw line to set a new record franchise in the Miami playoffs.
His 56 points are tied with Charles Barkley (1994), Michael Jordan (1992), and Wilt Chamberlain (1962) for fourth most ever in a playoff game, behind only Donovan Mitchell’s 57 (2020), to Elgin Baylor’s 61 (1962) and MJ’s 63 (1986).
No other Miami player has scored more than Bam Adebayo’s 15 points (six-of-16 shooting), though Caleb Martin provided a crucial spark off the bench with 12 points (four-of-five), nine rebounds and two steals.
For the Bucks, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was terrific coming back from a two-game absence, putting together a big triple-double with 26 points (12-of-22), 13 assists, 10 rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
Brook Lopez was also immense, with the Defensive Player of the Year candidate contributing 36 points (13-of-23), 11 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
The Bucks will be looking to keep their season alive in Milwaukee for Game 5 and if they make it, they will return to Miami for Game 6, with a chance to win a Game 7 at home.
LeBron establishes a new career high in the overtime win
LeBron James is somehow still setting career highs in the 20 year, grabbing a personal best 20 rebounds as he led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 115-108 Game 4 home victory against the Memphis Grizzlies.
James had never secured more than 19 rebounds in a game before — regular season or playoffs — but he had five offensive rebounds to go with 15 on defense, and his Lakers needed all of his efforts.
Down 104-102 with six seconds left, James was the only one to nail the tying layup and send the game to overtime, and he would drain the dagger in overtime as well with a three-point play against rival Grizzlies Dillon Brooks to jump ahead 113-108 with under 30 seconds on the clock.
The four-time NBA Finals MVP finished with 22 points on eight-of-18 shooting, providing seven assists and blocking two shots, and played a career-high 45 minutes.
James had no choice but to produce given how poorly his teammate Anthony Davis played offensively, finishing with just 12 points on four-of-13 shooting, and had just seven points at the end of regulation, even though his major 14 rebounds and five blocks.
Desmond Bane was the offensive focal point for the Grizzlies, scoring 36 points on 13-of-29 shooting, while Ja Morant was clearly hampered by his injured hand, finishing eight-of-24 from the field for his 19 points, seven assists and three steals .
The Grizzlies will be looking to keep the series alive when the series heads back to Memphis for Game 5, now trailing 3-1.
