It’s been a little over a year since Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler dropped 56 points against the Milwaukee Bucks, en route to the eventual upset gentleman's sweep over the championship favorites.
And Heat fans can’t help but reminisce. While the two sides ended on a bitter note with Butler departing for the Golden State Warriors, no one can deny the legendary rides he had with the team. Two (nearly three) Finals appearances and several larger-than-life playoff performances that gave fans hope for the first time since LeBron James was in South Florida.
And this moment was the pinnacle of it. One of the best underdog Finals rides in NBA history started with the hype of this moment. Butler and the Heat came back against Milwaukee late in Game 4, extending their series lead to 3-1 and putting the league’s best team on the brink of elimination.
Butler dropped 56 points on 19-of-28 shooting from the field, including 21 in the fourth quarter. Credit to Caleb Martin and Kyle Lowkey, but Butler’s near-individual effort had everyone in the basketball world watching Miami.
It's moments like these that have cemented Butler as a Heat legend and substantially increased his Hall of Fame odds.
These moments hit even harder now. Since the two have split, neither has gotten close to the postseason glory they had from 2020 to 2023. The Warriors and Heat were both eliminated in the play-in tournament, with both their futures seemingly bleak outside a massive overhaul.
But hey, at least Heat fans have these memories to look back on.
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Jayden Armant is a contributor to HeatRoundtable. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or on Twitter @jaydenarmant.
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