BBNBA: Heat, Lakers come away with massive Game 4 wins

There were only two games on the NBA Playoff schedule Monday night, but they didn’t lack entertainment value.

Starting with the Miami Heat, it was Jimmy Butler who put together one of the most impressive individual performances in postseason history. The 33-year-old future Hall of Famer exploded for a career-high (and franchise playoff-high) 56 points in a 119-114 comeback victory for the eight-seeded Heat over the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. Miami trailed by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter but Butler poured in 21 four-quarter points to help the Heat take the lead down the stretch. A 13-0 run put Miami in front for the first time all night with just 3:17 left.

Butler’s 56 points are the fourth-most in NBA Playoff history. He also added nine rebounds and two assists to his stat line in 40 minutes played, shooting 19-28 overall from the field while hitting dagger after dagger for the Heat. Miami now leads the series 3-1 and will look to become just the fifth team in league history to knock off a one-seed as an eight-seed.

Meanwhile, Heat center Bam Adebayo put together a solid outing, finishing with 15 points (6-16 FG), eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block in just 30 minutes played. It’s been a semi-rocky start to the postseason for Adebayo, who is posting decent averages of 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game but on just 48.3 percent overall shooting.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, who missed Games 2 and 3 due to a lower back injury, made an emphatic return in Game 4, registering 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists. Brook Lopez was equally as spectacular, adding 36 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks. But none of it was enough to top Butler’s massive night.

“We deserved to win that game,” Adebayo said postgame, “because (Butler) played incredible.”

Game 5 heads back to Milwaukee on Wednesday with the Bucks on the brink elimination.

Davis, Vanderbilt combine for 27 in Lakers’ OT win

The second game of the night was somehow more thrilling than the first.

LeBron James posted the first-ever 20-point, 20-rebound performance of his career as the seven-seeded Los Angeles Lakers needed five extra minutes to beat the two-seeded Memphis Grizzlies 117-111 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. James hit the game-tying layup with less than a second remaining in regulation and then scored four more timely points in overtime to lock up the win for the Lake Show.

Turns out Dillon Brooks shouldn’t have poked the bear…

But LeBron needed some help to get it done and he received it from a couple of former Wildcats. Fellow superstar Anthony Davis continued his up-and-down series, chipping in 12 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and four blocks in 42 minutes. Although he shot just 4-13 from the field, he did score five of his points in overtime and blocked Ja Morant’s potential game-winner that sent the game into overtime. Davis was aided by 15 points, six rebounds, and three blocks from the Lakers’ versatile forward Jarred Vanderbilt.

Game 5 shifts back to Memphis on Wednesday with the Lakers ahead 3-1.

4/24/2023 statistics

Player	Score	PTS	FG (3PT)	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	+/-	MIN
Bam Adebayo (MIA)	119-114 W vs. MIL	15	6-16	8	2	1	1	3	-1	30
Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL)	117-111 (OT) W vs. MEM	15	6-9 (2-5)	6	1	0	3	2	-18	19
Anthony Davis (LAL)	117-111 (OT) W vs. MEM	12	4-13 (0-1)	11	2	2	4	4	-3	42
Tyler Herro (MIA)	119-114 W vs. MIL	DNP-Hand	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Wenyen Gabriel (LAL)	117-111 (OT) W vs. MEM	DNP-CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Tonight in the NBA

7:30 (TNT): No. 7 Hawks @ No. 2 Celtics | BOS leads 3-1
9:00 (NBA TV): No. 8 Timberwolves (Towns) @ No. 1 Nuggets (Murray) | DEN leads 3-1
10:00 (TNT): No. 5 Clippers (Boston Jr.) @ No. 4 Suns (Booker) | PHX leads 3-1