(Los Angeles) Miami qualified for the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the sixth game of its series (96-92) against New York, thanks to the combined efforts of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, to answer the untenable Jalen Brunson Friday in the NBA playoffs.
It’s the third time in four years that the Heat have reached this stage of the competition. In 2020, in Orlando’s anti-COVID-19 bubble, he dismissed the Celtics to join the final, which was ultimately lost to LeBron James’ Lakers. Last year, Boston had taken its revenge, at the end of a series of suspense.
And a reunion cannot be ruled out, because the Massachusetts team will have the opportunity on Sunday, at home, to complete its series against Philadelphia (3-3).
While waiting for this scenario to be fully realized, the Heat fought to extinguish the inclinations of the Knicks, who started very strong in this meeting, since they led by 15 units in the first quarter, carried by Brunson author of 15 points with a 5/6 behind the arc.
The New York point guard, still generous – he played 45 minutes – finished with 41 points on the clock (14/22), becoming the first player in the franchise to play three straight playoff games with at least 30 points, since Patrick Ewing in 1990.
Until the last minute, initiating the reduction of the score to 92-90, he was a constant threat for the Floridians, unlike Julius Randle (15 points, 11 rebounds) and RJ Barrett (11 points) who shot at 4 /24 between them.
Despite a starving long-range address (7/27), the Heat had more offensive weapons to catch up, even if Jimmy Butler was not on his best night (24 points, at 7/22).
To support him, he had Bam Adebayo, who sounded the revolt of the team in the second quarter by scoring 11 of his 23 points (9 rebounds), and Max Strus (14 points), author of important baskets in money time.
“I like to wet the shirt for the wins, that’s what we do best. We’ve been doing it all season […] There are very good players in this team, ”rejoiced Butler, who will necessarily still need them in tune to advance further.