Miami Heat fans can probably remember that game to this day.
With the Heat's season on the line against the Boston Celtics in 2022, Jimmy Butler dropped 47 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, and four steals, forcing a Game 7 back in Miami.
Golden State needs that version of Butler now. Without Steph Curry, the Warriors face a daunting Game 5 in Minnesota that could send them back home. They need a superstar performance to reel the team over the likes of Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle.
Should the Warriors pull this off, they may be able to get Curry back for Game 6. They're down 3-1, a fate very few have come back from in playoff history. However, with the combination of Butler and Curry in the starting lineup, Golden State is far from finished if they can live another day.
Nevertheless, coach Steve Kerr says this starts with Wednesday night. He acknowledged Butler's lack of aggression in Game 4, but also demanded that the rest of the team step up and help him offensively.
"He wasn't as aggressive tonight, but I didn't see a lot of openings either," Kerr said in the postgame presser. "Ideally, we could put more shooting around him to open up the floor a little bit. But with Steph out, we're not gonna be able to do as much of that. We'll look at the tape and see where we can find some openings for him. I know he'll be aggressive for Game 5."
Udonis Haslem Proclaims End Of Era In Golden State
Heat Linked To Playmaker In Mock Draft
Heat Fans Take More Swipes At Darius Garland
Jayden Armant is a graduate of the Howard University School of Communications and a contributor to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.