The Miami Heat may be short of personnel but not of heart.

Still without injured stars Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo, the Heat pulled through with a stunning 115-104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, October 4 (Monday, October 5, Manila time).

Jimmy Butler delivered his first career playoff triple-double of 40 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals as the Heat avoided falling into a dangerous 0-3 series hole.

Butler could not have played any better, knocking down timely shots and serving as a facilitator to get his teammates open shots.

The Lakers got to within 5 points off a Markieff Morris triple with two minutes left, 100-105, before Butler gave the Heat a comfortable 109-100 cushion with 4 straight points.

Butler then dished out a pass to Duncan Robinson for a crucial three-pointer with 30 ticks left that virtually sealed the win for the Heat.

“I want to win. We did that. I’m happy with the outcome,” said Butler, who joined LeBron James and Jerry West as the only players in NBA Finals history with a 40-point triple-double.

The Heat had to play minus Dragic (foot injury), their leading scorer in the playoffs, and Adebayo (shoulder injury), their best defender, for the second straight game, but the Heat refused to back down.

Kelly Olynyk produced 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals in the win, Tyler Herro had 17 points – with 8 coming in the final quarter – while Robinson put up 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals.

Jae Crowder added 12 points and 8 rebounds for the Heat, who had an answer for everything the Lakers threw at them.

The Lakers led 91-89 off an 8-0 run highlighted by back-to-back Morris triples early in the final period but the Heat regained control with their own 8-0 blitz capped by Olynyk and Herro three-pointers.

“I think we realized that we belong. They can be beaten as long as we do what we’re supposed to do,” Butler said.

James led the Lakers with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists, but he lacked help from his running mate Anthony Davis, who battled foul trouble and struggled to find his rhythm.

Averaging 33.0 points and 11.5 rebounds in the first two games, Davis finished with only 15 points and 5 rebounds in Game 3.

Morris and Kyle Kuzma each had 19 points in the loss.

“The foul trouble made him a little passive,” James said of Davis. “He wanted to be on the floor but he couldn’t be his aggressive self offensively and defensively.

“So I think the fouls slowed him down a lot tonight.” – Rappler.com