After successfully recovering from a sprained toe, Jimmy Butler scored 31 points and made the game-winning free throws with 11.8 seconds remaining in overtime, helping the Miami Heat defeat the Brooklyn Nets 96-95 on Monday night in New York.
After missing seven games due to injury, Butler played in his first game since December 30 and appeared to be recovering from his injury. After the Heat scored 31 points in the first 24 minutes of play, their lowest half of the season, he scored 21 points in the second half and overtime.
In the extra frame, Butler made 8 of 12 field goal attempts and 15 of 16 free throws, including the game-winning shots when the Heat was down five points early.
With 3:51 remaining in overtime, Royce O’Neale’s 3-pointer put the Nets ahead 93-88. However, the Heat rallied and Tyler Herro’s three-pointer with 49.1 seconds remaining brought them within 95-94. With 24.7 seconds remaining, Nic Claxton was charged for offensive goaltending. Dennis Smith Jr. fouled Butler, who successfully made both free throws.
The game ended when Mikal Bridges missed a 10-foot jumper with 1.1 seconds remaining, and the Nets did not call a timeout.
The Heat, who shot 37.9 percent overall even though they only hit 26.2 percent in the first half, got 23 of Herro’s 29 points after the break. For the Heat, Bam Adebayo scored 11 points and grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds, while Herro chipped in with 11 boards.
The Nets lost for the 13th time in 16 games and dropped their third straight game despite Bridges’ 26 points. For the Nets, who shot 34.3 percent and made only 12 of their 55 3-point attempts (21.8 percent), Cam Thomas added 23 points and O’Neale added 15.
Brooklyn took its first double-digit lead less than two minutes into the second quarter thanks to a three-point play by Claxton. The Nets led 45-31 at the half after scoring the final six points of the game.
There were almost five minutes remaining in the third quarter when the Heat went on a 19-3 run and forced a 50-50 draw on Butler’s basket. Before Thomas made two free throws with 11.5 seconds remaining to give Brooklyn a 69-68 lead going into the fourth quarter, the visitors had taken a four-point advantage.
With 6:15 remaining, Butler’s basket completed an 11-2 run that put Miami up 79-74.
Butler’s 10-footer off the glass gave the Heat an 82-79 lead with 3:45 remaining, but Bridges’ two free throws with 4.4 seconds remaining tied the score at 88-88. The game went into overtime when Butler missed a potential game-winning 19-footer at the horn.