Butler turns 'killer' as Heat take 2-0 lead
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MIAMI • Jimmy Butler scored a career play-off high 45 points as the Miami Heat held off the Atlanta Hawks 115-105 on Tuesday, seizing a 2-0 lead in their first-round National Basketball Association Eastern Conference play-off series.
The Hawks had pulled within 104-101 in the final minutes before Butler answered with a slam dunk, a three-pointer and a layup to give Erik Spoelstra's team a 10-point lead and seal Atlanta's fate.
On his clutch flurry of baskets: the All-Star guard said: "Coach told me to go out there and be a killer, score as many points as possible, so that's what I did."
Butler made 15-of-25 shots from the floor, was four-of-seven from long range, and sank 11-of-12 free throws while also contributing five rebounds, five assists and two steals at the FTX Arena.
"Just staying aggressive, taking what the defence gives me. My teammates want me to play like that. I felt like I'm in a groove. I'm comfortable. My guys are always looking for me," he said.
Trae Young, kept to a season-low eight points on Sunday in an opening loss, had 18 by half-time on his way to 25 points but Atlanta's All-Star guard also had 10 turnovers.
The visitors pulled within 87-76 after three quarters, then made a 12-0 run in the fourth quarter to trim Miami's lead to 94-90 as Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 19 of his 29 points off the bench in the fourth quarter.
The Serb scored from downtown to pull the Hawks within three points, only for Butler's decisive run to settle the contest.
But the Heat cannot always rely on individual brilliance, Butler pointed out.
"We still find a way to stay in front of guys, contest threes, not give away leads," he said.
Miami, the top seeds in the East, are now in command of the best-of-seven series, which continues tomorrow in Atlanta.
In the West, the Memphis Grizzlies ripped the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-96 at the FedExForum to level their series 1-1.
60%
Field-goal percentage of Jimmy Butler in his 45-point outing in Miami Heat's 115-105 win over Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
Ja Morant led the hosts with 23 points, 10 assists and nine boards as the second seeds bounced back from an opening upset to knot the series, which resumes today at Minnesota.
"It was my fault. I put guys in tough situations last game," the All-Star guard said.
"My job was to come out and correct that and that's what I did. No point to be mad about Game 1. There's a lot of basketball to be played. You see what happened."
"We got that same mindset coming into the next one. Same fire. Same energy."
Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr each added 16 points for Memphis, who had seven double-digit scorers, while Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 20 points.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
