Jimmy Butler carried the Miami Heat during the first two rounds of the postseason, and the opening game of the Eastern Conference finals was no different.
Butler played a solid all-around game, racking up 35 points, seven assists, six steals and five rebounds while leading the Heat to a 123-116 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 in Boston on Wednesday.
Butler raised his 2023 playoff scoring average to 31.5 with his fifth 30-point effort in 11 games. He stopped short of saying he is playing better than ever, but said the Miami coaching staff has set him up for success.