Jimmy Butler’s 40-point triple-double on Sunday pushed the injury-ridden Miami Heat to a 115-104 win in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, avoiding a 3-0 series death knell.
For 45 minutes, Butler slashed to the basket and jockeyed with the Los Angeles Lakers defenders for offensive rebounds on his way to finishing with 40 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists.
His stat line puts him in esteemed company: Butler was just the third player in Finals history to have a 40-point triple-double, according to research by ESPN Stats and Information, joining Jerry West and LeBron James.
Butler also became the first player to score 40 points without attempting a 3-pointer since big man Shaquille O’Neal in 2002.
Game 4 will take place on Tuesday night.
This video shows the NBA players reaction to the East’s fifth-seeded Heat beating the West’s top-seeded Lakers in Game 3:
