Whenever you count out Jimmy Butler, he comes back harder and stronger. His performances for the last few games had been uncharacteristic of the Heat guard, but today, he left Boston shell shocked with his game. Now, the series will have a Game 7 due to him when it looked like Boston would have a coronation today.

Experts and fans, due to his performance, have appraised Jimmy Buckets. NFL legend Shannon Sharpe is among that crowd and, in fact, went as far as to compare him to LeBron James. James too is an alumna of the Miami Heat. He won two titles with them in 2012 and 2013.

Both James and Butler were important players for the Heat. Sharpe, of course, did not compare their legacies. He reminded fans of a very famous game LeBron had a decade back facing a similar situation. Boston was 3-2 up and had a game at home. That time too, it looked like a coronation for the Kevin Garnett-led Boston team. For James, it was a question of his legacy.

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He was 27 and critics were already questioning whether he could ever win the NBA Title. James had already missed it once with Cleveland in 2007, but his second finals loss against a less fancied Dallas team in 2011 stung him.

In Game 6, LeBron James commanded the field. He scored 45 points, got 15 rebounds, and had 5 assists. LeBron turned the series on its head. Miami went back to their home where LeBron again scored 31 and got 12 rebounds to send Boston packing. He led Miami to their second NBA title and redeemed his legacy by getting his first. A decade later, Butler is on the verge of doing the same.

Why is Jimmy Butler being compared to LeBron James?

Jimmy Butler, today, scored 47 points, got 9 rebounds, and eked out 8 assists. It was no less than a LeBron-like performance circa 2012. Unlike that game, this was not a 19-point blowout. Boston could have won the game too, but Butler proved to be the difference between both teams ultimately.

Game 7 will be at the Heat’s home court and they will have the opportunity to reach their second final in three years. ‘Jimmy Buckets’ has turned out to be a leader of the team and will want to bring his best game into the series decider.

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Will the Heat repeat 2012? Will Boston keep their record of coming back from playoff defeats? We will have to wait and watch for Game 7 on Sunday.