MIAMI — It had been awhile since anyone had defended Jimmy Butler the best way Quentin Grimes had. Then, Playoff Jimmy obtained his revenge.
After Grimes smothered Butler and helped save the Knicks’ season in a Sport 5 win on the Backyard, he was completely dominated by the Warmth star on Friday in Miami’s 96-92 victory in Sport 6 of the Japanese Convention semifinal collection.
The Knicks guard had held the white-hot Butler to simply 19 factors in Sport 5, by far his lowest output of the playoffs.
And in 94 possessions towards Butler coming into Friday, Grimes had held him to simply 16 factors on 29.4 % taking pictures and 0-for-3 from 3-point vary.
However Butler erupted in Sport 6, and Grimes — taking part in via a minor knee harm — was invisible on the offensive finish as nicely.
Butler had 24 factors and eight rebounds, sending the Knicks into the offseason.
“He was actually aggressive,” Grimes informed The Submit. “I knew he got here out and he was going to be actually aggressive. I attempted to make it robust as I can for him, however he was making the best play, hitting his teammates who had been open after we doubled him and [Friday] he was making all the best performs.”
Butler has been as dominant as any participant on this postseason. He got here into Sport 5 within the Backyard averaging 33.5 factors — the second-most within the playoffs — on 56.1 % taking pictures with 6.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists. Grimes slowed him on Wednesday, however wasn’t even a pace bump two nights later.
Observe The Submit’s protection of the Knicks vs. Warmth NBA playoff collection
“There’s Playoff Jimmy,” heart Bam Adebayo stated with a chuckle. “We all know the kind of mindset he will get into when he feels some form of disrespect, or he appears like he isn’t being who he’s. So the most important factor for Jimmy is he’s going to return out in that mode. You would possibly see a distinct kind of him that we didn’t see in New York.”
Grimes insisted that his knee — which he injured by knocking knees with Adebayo — was advantageous.
However he additionally struggled on offense, Miami’s vaunted protection holding him to simply three factors on 1-for-6 taking pictures, all from exterior the arc.
“They obtained numerous guys who’ve skilled, they did the identical issues within the championship three years in the past, [Kyle] Lowry’s obtained expertise, Bam, Jimmy Butler,” Grimes stated. “Expertise is what makes all people, so getting this underneath my belt is gonna be good for me.”
