Playoff Jimmy Butler Just Had One Of The Best Postseason Performances We Have Ever Seen

Megan Briggs. Getty Images.

Holy shit, what the hell did we just watch?

I've seen a lot of playoff basketball in my day and I have to tell ya, what Jimmy Butler just did might be one of the greatest individual performances in NBA playoff history. At this point there's no denying the realness of Playoff Jimmy Butler. We are watching the second coming of Christ or some shit when it comes to what Jimmy Butler is doing on the basketball court against the number 1 seed who just so happened to get Giannis back. 

This was supposed to be a sweep, light work for the #1 seed and team with the best overall record in the NBA. A team with the supposed DPOY, 6MOY, and All NBA defensive guard. And yet here we are, with the Miami Heat sitting pretty up 3-1. Teams who sit in this position are 258-13 all time, and 72-3 in the first round. None of us, not a single one of us thought this was possible. The Bucks didn't have Giannis and then they did have Giannis and it didn't matter.

You know who knew? Playoff Jimmy Butler knew.

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You have to understand, what makes this so impressive isn't just what Butler did himself. You have to look at what he dragged to this win

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There was some bench help late, but for the majority of this game it was Jimmy Butler and Jimmy Butler only. Absolutely brutal guard play from Vincent and Lowry, Bam with a brutal 6-16, and every time the Heat needed it, Jimmy delivered. That run to end the game was some of the craziest shit I've ever seen. Jimmy Butler is not a three point shooter…..until he gets into the playoffs. These are bad shots for basically anyone else on the planet in those moments other than Playoff Jimmy Butler. You seriously have to just tip your cap and appreciate some of the best we've ever seen.

For the Bucks, it's officially panic time. Win 3 in a row or your season is over. Even with a huge Giannis and Lopez game, it was more of the same for them. Can't guard wings, Jrue Holiday goes 6-19 and the depth is nowhere to be found. What's crazy is they were winning this entire game up until the final few minutes. But when you close the 4th quarter 41-25, this is what happens. One of the craziest collapses in recent playoff memory. Giannis missing late, Holiday with a brutal turnover, cold shooting from the outside, in a situation where you had to go blow for blow with Playoff Jimmy Butler, the Bucks had no answer.

At the same time, I wouldn't even call this series over. Giannis still exists. But I also expect the Heat "others" to play much better at some point over the next 3 games, and I know I can pencil Butler in for an easy 40. 

The fact that we're even talking this way during this series is insane enough. The Heat having the 1 seed on the ropes and Playoff Jimmy Butler smelling blood almost doesn't even seem real. But it is. 

That's the beauty of the NBA Playoffs. It doesn't matter what things look like on paper or what you did during the year. Lace em up for 48 minutes and let the best man win, and so far that man is Jimmy Butler.