What was an NBA Finals duel for the ages ended with two basketball gladiators portraying their best abilities.
One, wearing “HEAT” on his chest, attacked with reckless abandon, and earned a trip to his most comfortable spot in the arena.
The other, padded in Showtime Lakers black in honor of their fallen hero, did what he continues to be criticized for until this very day, which was to make the right play.
Ultimately, one weapon prevailed over the other.
Jimmy Butler and LeBron James added another unforgettable encounter to their growing rivalry in Miami’s 111-108 Game 5 triumph.
With his team down 1-3 and a misstep away from elimination, Butler earned the legacy of Heat legend with his second triple-double of the finals: 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists, plus 5 steals and a brilliant shooting display of 11-of-19 from the field and 12-of-12 from the foul line.
His last 4 free throws saved Miami from exiting the Orlando bubble and provided the undermanned and “underdog”-labelled Heat with a surprising second win in this series against the heavily favored Lakers.
But, as Butler pointed out before the finals – he and his teammates don’t see themselves as “underdogs” – and that’s why there will be a Game 6 on Monday morning (Manila time) after Miami outlasted LA in a battle where they led for majority of the game.
For the first time in the playoffs, Los Angeles is facing an adversary who can take their strongest hits and then get right back up to deliver a haymaker of its own.
“Look, man,” the Heat’s exhausted leader said after the contest. “I can say it every time I’m up here [in the virtual podium], but we live for these moments. [I] like the work that we put in, we’re built for this, we have been doing this all year long.”
Butler is actually mistaken. This is the first time whatever is going on in a suddenly-competitive NBA Finals has happened all season, pre-bubble or not, because Jimmy is elevating his game to a level that only very few thought possible.
He was one of them. So were his teammates.
With Goran Dragic (foot) ailing, Butler has been forced to carry a heavier offensive burden – which he has done remarkably – while defending a man who many argue is the greatest to ever touch a basketball.
Had Los Angeles closed the series, LeBron’s performance would have been the icing on his fourth Finals MVP cake. Still outstanding at 35 years old, the man on his historic 10th NBA Finals appearance finished with 40 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. He shot 15-of-21 from the field, including 6-of-9 from deep.
The one knock on LeBron’s nearly flawless skill set throughout his 17-year career has been his shooting. With champagne and Lakers glory 48 minutes away, the absolute best of LeBron was on full display, with no weakness to nitpick.
In addition, Anthony Davis was sensational with 28 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks on 9-of-15 shooting, the perfect complement to LeBron’s Herculean effort. Dominating with his sheer size, AD’s putback with 21.8 seconds left would have been the title-winner.
LA was at its best. Yet the Heat couldn’t be put out, because Butler wouldn’t let it happen.
“He’s the ultimate competitor and when you’re facing the ultimate competition, that’s what happens,” said Erik Spoelstra.
When Butler said after winning Game 3 that LeBron has gotten the best of him “too many times,” it cast a spotlight on his most competitive desire.
Butler was on those Bulls teams that James, while he was on the Heat, beat constantly throughout their four-year mini dynasty, although the challenge was always an uphill climb.
When Miami was on a 27-game winning streak in 2013 (the second-longest in NBA history), it was a Butler-led, undermanned (sounds familiar?) Chicago team without MVP Derrick Rose who ended the Heat’s chase at history.
In his first playoffs after returning to Cleveland, James eliminated Butler and his Bulls in the playoffs, during which LeBron scored a buzzer-beater over Butler.
When Jimmy was traded to Minnesota, he and James had an unforgettable duel which ended with another LeBron game-winner over Butler in overtime.
Butler has no fear going up against James, because for most of his career, he’s been finding a way to beat LeBron.
“That’s the beauty of the game, being able to compete at the highest level. You take those opportunities and you live in the moment,” said James.
The final 3 minutes brought to life what every basketball-loving fan’s dreams are made of: everything on the line – glory, fame, and legacy – with two superstars exchanging blow after another – think Ali vs Frazier – as they refused to go down.
Butler and LeBron went at it, two players with a love for competition arguably unrivaled by anyone else in the NBA. LeBron free throws. A Butler jumper. A LeBron and-one. A Butler turnaround. A LeBron putback. Butler free throws. A Davis putback. More Butler free throws. Words don’t do it justice.
And then, a pass.
With 16.8 seconds remaining, LeBron James had the ball in his hands once again. He attacked Butler, but drew two more Heat defenders. And there was the dilemma: should LeBron have forced a shot, as Kobe or Jordan would have, or should he make “the right play” by passing to an open teammate, albeit one who has struggled with his confidence?
For 17 years, pundits asked, ridiculed, and forced LeBron to do the former. He never had an issue choosing the latter, so that’s what he did again this time.
Andre Iguodala, the Heat’s game-changing veteran acquisition, mustered all the energy remaining in his 36-year-old legs to run from boxing out Davis to raising a hand up against Danny Green, who was suddenly wide open from the top of the key, with the entire world watching him.
Green let it fly.
Every second it was in the air felt like an eternity
It missed.
But the Lakers had another chance.
Markieff Morris threw it away.
So the Heat survived.
“We were both just… trying to will our team to a victory,” LeBron said about him and Butler, who are facing off, mano-a-mano, unlike they ever have before.
“You know, he was able to make one more play than I was able to make [in Game 5] and come away with a victory.”
Does LeBron regret his decision?
“I was able to draw two defenders below the free throw line and find one of our shooters at the top of the key for a wide open three to win a championship. I trusted him, we trusted him, and it just didn’t go. You live with that,” he said.
“You live with that,” he said a second time.
The answer is no.
Now, Game 6 is upon us. The possibility of a historically-high level of pressure in the event of a Game 7 is in the horizon. The Lakers will have a stronger sense of urgency. The Heat won’t go down without a fight.
Both teams have come this far.
But only one will remain.
Once again, it just might come down to Jimmy Butler and LeBron James. – Rappler.com
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