Jimmy Butler walked to the free-throw line all alone Wednesday. Time had run out and the score was even after the Milwaukee Bucks tied the game with three free throws with 4.3 seconds left. Now Butler would have a chance to win it for the Miami heat at the line.
His first attempt rattled all the way around. It hung on the front of the rim and finally fell through. The second attempt was just a formality. The Heat walked off for a 116-114 win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Butler, fresh off a 40-point performance in Game 1 on Monday, scored just 13, but he was the go-to option in the final seconds. With the score tied 114-114, Miami inbounded to Butler on the left baseline. The All-Star wing went to work and eventually a double team came. He faded away and tried to hit a game-winning jumper, but his shot clanged off the rim as time expired.
In the last second chaos, a whistle blew. Superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had touched Butler as he shot. Butler would get to win the game at the free-throw line and he came through after nearly contributing to a massive meltdown.
Just seconds earlier, the Bucks completed a nine-point comeback in the final 1:56. Khris Middleton drew a questionable foul from guard Goran Dragic on a potential game-tying three-pointer and he went to the free-throw line. With 4.3 seconds left, the All-Star wing hit all three to tie the score at 114-114 after Miami coughed up a six-point lead in a little more than 10 seconds.
Antetokounmpo first flushed home a dunk to cut the lead to 113-109. Clinging to a four-point lead with 15 seconds left, Butler ran into a trap on the right side of the court. Even with two timeouts to burn, the All-Star wing tried to get out of it without a whistle. He threw a pass back toward his own basket and Brook Lopez intercepted Butler's aimless heave. The center made an easy layup and then Butler went 1 of 2 at the free-throw line, letting Middleton tie the game at the line.
