Jimmy Butler leads Miami Heat past Chicago Bulls and into NBA play-offs, Minnesota Timberwolves also through

MIAMI – The Miami Heat were “desperate” to reach the National Basketball Association (NBA) play-offs, according to their coach Erik Spoelstra, and on Friday night they made their point.

Jimmy Butler led the team as they caught fire down the stretch to beat the Chicago Bulls 102-91 and reach the post-season, as the Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder to also book their play-off berth.

Miami, smarting from a loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, clinched the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final seed to set up a meeting with the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks.

Minnesota, meanwhile, will face Western Conference top seeds Denver in the first round of the play-offs after a comprehensive 120-95 blowout of Oklahoma City.

“Our team have obviously not been perfect this year,” Spoelstra said on ESPN.

“But I do know one thing about the men in that locker room.

“The last 48 hours, I know how categorically, unequivocally, how badly and desperately our group wanted to get into this damn thing – and get into the play-offs to have an opportunity to compete for a title.”

While Minnesota romped into the post-season, Miami’s clash with Chicago went down to the wire before Butler, helped by the three-pointers of Max Strus, secured victory for the Heat.

Butler put up 31 points, a tally matched by Strus, who was seven from 12 from three-point range, including a crucial 26-foot jumper with 1min 14sec left that put Miami 96-91 up.

For Strus, who grew up as a Bulls fan in the suburbs of Chicago and was released by them before joining Miami, it was a sweet night.

“It’s huge. It doesn’t really matter who we’re playing – we had to win this one, no matter what. It was win or go home and we’re not done yet,” he said.

“We want to keep playing and it’s good to get that one. But it does feel a little bit better against them, I’m not gonna lie.”

He secured the win with three free throws after he was fouled by Alex Caruso as he tried to make a throw from the corner.

The Heat had found themselves in the elimination game after losing their opening play-in game to the Hawks and faced the prospect of being the first divisional winners not to make the play-offs.

“I don’t think any of us felt any type of pressure. We went out, we competed, we played the right way, corrected some things, and did what we were supposed to do,” said Butler.

DeMar DeRozan top scored for the Bulls with 26 points and nine assists.

There is little time for Miami to savour the victory, however, as their play-off series against the Bucks begins in Milwaukee on Sunday.

“It’s going to be tough,” added Butler. “But I think we have a really good shot.

“As long as we stick together, we’re a really good team.”

In Minneapolis, the Timberwolves put their team’s recent turbulence behind them to demolish Oklahoma City.

Minnesota finished the regular season in disarray, with teammates Rudy Gobert and Kyle Anderson involved in a sideline punch-up last Sunday.

Gobert was subsequently suspended for Tuesday’s play-in defeat by the Los Angeles Lakers, but returned on Friday to contribute 21 points in the victory.

Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves scoring with 28 points while all five starters finished in double figures.

Separately, the battle for NBA Most Valuable Player will feature the three expected finalists – All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets.

The winner will be announced during the play-offs. AFP, REUTERS