Watch: Jimmy Butler reacts to DM sent by Heat fan cringing over 3-0 comeback by Celtics in Conference finals
Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat were on the brink of a historic collapse against the Celtics when the series tied up at 3-3. The Heat were up 3-0 on the Celtics as they looked more prepared and composed as a unit.
Jimmy Butler posted his reaction to a message from a Heat fan via Tiktok.
There was some skepticism, heading into Game 7, from Heat fans, as Jimmy Butler was struggling in the previous three games.
Miami couldn't seem to close the series out from games 4 to 6 as Boston looked to be the more aggressive team coming out of the gates. The Celtics dominated the Heat at both the offensive and defensive ends.
Due to their poor level of play, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat played with intensity and desperation in Game 7 to finally eliminate the Boston Celtics.
The Heat were one loss away from being part of the wrong side of history, but they were also one win away from the finals.
With immense pressure to bounce back, Jimmy delivered and led his team to a closeout victory on the road. He finished the game with 28 points (12-of-28 shooting, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range), seven rebounds and six assists.
Because of his excellent outing, the rest of the team followed. The Miami Heat shot for over 48.8%, including 50.0% from 3-point range. They also held the Celtics to only 39.0% shooting, including 21.4% from 3-point range. The Heat also forced 15 turnovers on the Celtics.
The Miami Heat closed out the Boston Celtics' championship hopes with a 103-84 win. It marked the third upset series victory for the Heat. It all started with Butler's incredible outing against the Bucks.
During the first-round series, Jimmy Butler averaged 37.6 points (59.7% shooting, including 44.4% from 3-point range) and 6.0 rebounds.
Jimmy Butler on eliminating the Boston Celtics in seven games
Following the impressive closeout win, Butler spoke to the media regarding the team's mindset going forward.
"I just know why Coach Pat [Riley] and Coach Spo [Erik Spoelstra] wanted me to be here," Butler said. "That's to compete at a high level and win championships. ... Nobody's satisfied. We haven't done anything. We don't play just to win the Eastern Conference. We play to win the whole thing."
In a finals matchup against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, the Miami Heat face their toughest challenge yet. Similar to the Heat, the Nuggets' ongoing postseason success has been overlooked in favor of other teams in the playoffs.
With both teams in the finals, it will be interesting to see how the series plays out.