National Basketball Association

Jimmy Butler Goes Thermonuclear

Published Sep. 4, 2020 9:37 p.m. ET

The team with the NBA's best record is officially one game away from being swept.

The Miami Heat erased a 14-point third quarter deficit and turned it into a win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

They now lead the series 3-0, a deficit no team has come back from in NBA history.

Here are the 3 biggest takeaways from this Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup.

1. Jimmy Buckets takes down Milwaukee

For the second time in three games, the best player on the floor was not reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.

It was Jimmy Butler.

With the Heat down 10 with 10 minutes to play in the fourth, Butler put the Heat on his back, ultimately outscoring the entire Bucks team 17-13 by himself in the fourth quarter.

Butler has only scored 30 or more points six times so far this season for the Heat, but they are now 4-2 in those games.

2. The ultimate equalizer

If there is an explanation for how the Heat clawed back from a 14-point hole against the team with the NBA's best record, look no further than the three-point line.

The Heat made 18 three-pointers, allowing them to not only climb back into the game but eventually take the lead for good.

Seven Heat players made at least two shots from behind the arc, with Jae Crowder leading the way shooting 5-for-11 from distance.

The Heat are now 13-2 this season when they make at least 17 three-pointers in a game.

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo stuck in neutral

After averaging 30.6 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists in the Bucks first round series against the Orlando Magic, Antetokounmpo has been a shell of himself against the Heat.

In Game 3, Antetokounmpo shot 7-for-21 and only managed to score 21 points, which comes after a 19-point Game 1 performance.

This spells bad news for the presumed 2020 MVP favorite.

For the series, the Greek Freak is averaging 22.7 points, down from his season average of 29.5.

If Antetokoumpo has any MVP magic left, he needs to unleash it in Game 4 to save the Bucks' season.