To win, Jimmy Butler has get downhill and knock down shots
There are just some shots that Jimmy Butler’s going to have to make for the Heat. If he’s really Playoff Jimmy, there will be shots that he has to make because he’s Playoff Jimmy. Derrick White and Marcus Smart are very good, tough defenders. Al Horford has been a great rim protector and held up on his switches quite well.
Jayson Tatum is lengthy and can move his feet. At the end of the day, Butler needs to make some difficult shots.
Note the last clip. It was a blown layup that Jimmy needed to finish, yes, but it also shows something that Miami may have found at the end of the game amid their ultimately failed comeback: the Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Duncan Robinson three-man game, which helped open the floor up for Butler. The Heat have had a 123.7 offensive rating when these three share the court this postseason (112 minutes).
It works so well because Robinson’s three-point gravity is nearly unmatched in the league. Running decoy actions or ghost screens with Robinson is bound to attract the defense’s attention, which in turn opens the floor up for Butler to get downhill.
Because Robinson knocks down the first three in the below clip, Horford is worried about it in the second, eliminating any nail help.
Robinson’s play throughout the series and Game 6 warrants much more playing time than the 18 minutes he has averaged throughout the series. He may have missed two threes down the stretch, but Miami is never in the game without his prior heroics throughout the fourth quarter. His ability to stretch the floor and attract defenses are key for not only Butler but also Adebayo, whose two-man game with Robinson has been elite for years to this point.
Throughout the series, Robert Williams has been a player that Butler has found comfort in attacking. Although Williams has been better as the series has progressed, Butler has still found ways to get by Williams since he isn’t the greatest switch defender.
Also, Butler is just so good at getting to the line versus Williams, having drawn a shooting foul on Time Lord seven times this series.
If Butler has another offensive stinker, it’ll be difficult for Miami to board a plane to Denver for Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Getting his offense going is huge for Miami, and it starts with Butler being locked in and knowing that he has to get downhill and into the paint to avoid going down to Cancun for a premature vacation.