Miami Heat’s phenomenal star, Jimmy Butler, has done it again. While many expected a closeout game for the Lakers in Finals’ fifth matchup, Heat forced a Game 6. Butler’s 35-point triple-double clouded the 40 points knocked by LeBron James.

In a 111-108 victory, Miami Heat led for almost the entire second half until the point-by-point game in the last few minutes. They kept the Lakers from taking on the game at any moment. It was a complete offensive and defensive effort that locked in Lakers from getting past the winning line.

Jimmy Butler gave a standout performance despite Lakers’ star duo giving a competent fight. Miami’s savior recorded 35 points along with 12 rebounds and 11 assists in 47 minutes of the Finals game. He was shooting at a high rate of 57.9% from the floor and converted all 12 free throws.

Young Miami Heat teammate says Jimmy Butler is “unbelievable”

Another unexpected Miami player who stepped up was Duncan Robinson. He had a disappointing Finals run so far, but his Game 5 performance washed out previous memories. He added 26 points to Miami’s crucial win. Moreover, Robinson dropped 7/13 shots from the deep that helped match up with Lakers’ three-point shooters.

Butler has been an inspiration for many youngsters on Heat’s roster this season. Robinson is one of them. “He’s the ultimate teammate, the ultimate competitor, just a guy that you want to go battle with,” said Robinson on Butler after Game 5 win. “And he’s put it on full display. [He’s] an unbelievable guy to have in your corner and he’s really the heart and soul of our team.”

Robinson credits his team and Butler for his incredible performance. He worked a beautiful swish from beyond the arc early in the last quarter to extend Miami’s lead to nine points.

The team effort from the Eastern champions paid off. But they are yet to complete the struggle. The following Game 6 will be another important day for Butler. Let’s see if Heat could even the Finals series, or Lakers are destined to take the trophy home.