Where Does Jimmy Butler's Game 3 Performance Rank Among Best In NBA Finals History?
(CBSMiami)- Jimmy Butler powered the Heat to a Game 3 win on Sunday night 115-104 over the Los Angeles Lakers to close the game in the series to 2-1. In the process, Butler recorded a triple double of 40 points 11 rebounds and 13 assists, a performance that ranks among the best the league has ever seen in the NBA Finals.
According to ESPN Stats and Info, Butler is just the third player in NBA history to record a 40 point triple double in the Finals. The other two? His opponent, LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West.
Jimmy Butler joins LeBron James and Jerry West as the only players to have a 40-point triple double in the NBA Finals.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 5, 2020
Butler has 2 40-point performances this postseason, tied with James and Wade for most such games in a single postseason in Heat franchise history. pic.twitter.com/5sL42nEyQS
The historic nature of the performance doesn't stop there either. By virtue of his 13 assists, Butler scored or assisted on 73 of Miami's 115 points. That ranks second in Finals history behind only Walt Frazier who scored or assisted on 74 points in the 1970 Finals against the Lakers.
And, Butler's 40 points without attempting a three is the first such performance since Shaq did it for the Lakers in 2002.
According to @EliasSports Jimmy Butler scored or assisted on 73 points, tied for the 2nd-most in an NBA Finals game in league history. (Walt Frazier, 74)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 5, 2020
Butler is the first player with a 40-point Finals game without attempting a three since Shaquille O'Neal in 2002. pic.twitter.com/mPcQpFrOtU
Sunday night's performance was just the kind of game the Heat were hoping to get from Butler when they traded for him this offseason and signed him to a five-year max contract extension. Now, he'll look to help the Heat even the series with the Lakers in Game 4 on Tuesday night.