Playoff Jimmy took center stage when it mattered most once again.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler scored 22 of his 31 points in the second half to help lead his team to a 102-91 home win over the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. The Heat now advance to the playoffs to take on the Milwaukee Bucks in Round 1.
Points were hard to come by on a night that harkened back to 1990s pro basketball given the defensive intensity and physicality. Max Strus was an exception as he dropped 23 points in the first half thanks in part to six three-pointers to provide Miami with a 49-44 lead at the break.