Getty Khris Middleton of the Milwaukee Bucks argues during Game 4 against the Miami Heat.
Jimmy Butler drove past Khris Middleton for two key fourth-quarter baskets in the Miami Heat‘s comeback-win over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 4.
He first got inside for a floater to help cut the Bucks’ lead to just seven points with just over as many minutes to play. Moments later he bounced off of Middleton, banked in the shot, and drilled the free throw to bring Miami within five points.
Behind Butler’s fourth-quarter flurry, the Heat were able to complete a 14-point comeback to take a 3-1 series lead over Milwaukee.
Following his team’s collapse, resulting in a 119-114 loss to the Heat, Middleton gave Miami’s star for his gritty performance.
“Credit to him also. He had a hell of night, hit some tough shots,” Middleton said via The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Jim Owczarski. “He forced his way to the basket, of course his way to the free throw line. We just gotta continue to try to challenge him, make everything tough for him.”
Middleton was the primary defender on Butler for 1:50 of game time, allowing the 33-year-old to knock down three-of-four attempts from the field for 10 points, according to NBA.com’s matchup data. The Heat scored 15 points on the 11.1 partial possessions where Milwaukee’s No. 22 was defending Butler.
Butler set a new playoff-record for the Heat on Monday. His 56 points were the most by any Miami player in a playoff game.
The record was previously held by LeBron James, who torched the Brooklyn Nets back in 2014 with 49 points.
Brook Lopez Discusses Heat’s Jimmy Butler’s Monster Game 4
Looking on from the opposite side of the paint, as Butler blew past Middleton twice in the fourth, was Bucks center Brook Lopez, who also had some thoughts on “Playoff Jimmy‘s” big night.
“He obviously played great,” Lopez told Owczarski. “He’s been great all series long. He’s been aggressive. He’s just been knocking down shots, shooting the three extremely well. There hasn’t been a thing that the hasn’t been doing. It’s a tough draw but we just gotta keep getting better, keep making life tough for him, one game at a time.”
Lopez finished the night as Milwaukee’s leading scorer with 36 points. He also grabbed 11 rebounds to give himself a double-double in Game 4.
Though the 35-year-old was dominant inside, he and his team had no answer for Butler.
“I think he was playing his game,” the Bucks big man added. “He hit big shots, got to the line, especially toward the end. He made some good plays. Jimmy just being Jimmy. I just feel like he was playing, you know? Sometimes you catch fire, you get into a rhythm and not much can be done. He played a really good game.”
Kyle Lowry Says Heat ‘Still Have Job to Do’ After Game 4 Win
With the Heat needing just one more win to advance to the next round, veteran guard Kyle Lowry reminded his team and the media that they’ve still got a job to do and can’t bask in Butler’s glory.
“I think we witnessed a guy who continues to be in his prime and playing at a level of basketball that not many players can get to,” Lowry said via “The Athletic”. “You have to just kind of sit back and appreciate it. We can’t just bask in the glory right now. We’ve still got a job to do. But we appreciate what his abilities are.”
Lowry and the Heat will have the chance to finish of the Bucks in Game 5 Wednesday. Tip off is slated for 9:30 p.m. ET at Fiserv Forum.