Jimmy Butler III has scored 45+ points in 3 different playoff games for the Miami Heat.
Here are the top five individual scoring performances in franchise history regarding playoff games.
1. Jimmy Butler, 56 points (2023 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 4)
There’s a reason why Butler is called “Playoff Jimmy,” and if being on this list three times isn’t enough to back that statement up, the fact that he owns the highest-scoring performance ever by a Heat player in the postseason should rest that case. It happened during the 2023 NBA Playoffs, a year in which Butler single-handedly carried Miami to the NBA Finals, where they ultimately lost to the Denver Nuggets. In a 119-114 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the Eastern Conference, Butler turned things up a notch and finished with 56 points (19-28 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 15-18 FT), nine rebounds, two assists and a block across 41 minutes. That remains the best scoring performance by a Heat player in the postseason to date.
2. LeBron James, 49 points (2014 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 4)
For nearly 10 years, James owned the highest-scoring performance in a Heat jersey during the postseason. He achieved that mark during a 102-96 win over the Brooklyn Nets in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, posting 49 points (16-24 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 14-19 FT), six rebounds, two assists and three steals across 43 minutes. The Heat would end up reaching the NBA Finals that season, but a 4-1 loss to the San Antonio Spurs also ended LeBron’s era in South Beach.
3. Jimmy Butler, 47 points (2022 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 6)
Butler, once again for another stellar performance during the 2022 NBA Playoffs, carried Miami to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics. It was a must-win for the Heat as they looked to stave off elimination. He finished with 47 points (16-29 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 11-11 FT), nine rebounds, eight assists, four steals and a block across 46 minutes. The Heat would end up winning that game 111-103 before ultimately losing the series in a decisive Game 7.
4. Dwyane Wade, 46 points (2010 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 4)
When it comes to analyzing iconic players in the Heat history, perhaps there’s no bigger and more iconic figure than Wade. The star guard, who was part of the Big Three — alongside LeBron James and Chris Bosh — that gave the Heat two titles between 2010 and 2014 had his best-ever playoff showing before that trio was assembled. During a 101-92 win over the Celtics in the 2010 playoffs, Wade finished with 46 points (16-24 FG, 5-7 3Pt, 9-14 FT), five rebounds, five assists and two steals across 43 minutes.
5. Jimmy Butler, 45 points (2022 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 2)
Butler is a recurrent name on this list, and while the star forward couldn’t lead the Heat to an NBA title, he does own a fair share of scoring records in the postseason. The first of his three appearances in this list came during the 2022 NBA Playoffs, when he notched 45 points in a 115-105 win over the Atlanta Hawks. In that game, Butler also added five rebounds, five assists and two steals across 39 minutes while shooting 15-for-25 from the field, 4-for-7 from three-point range and 11-for-12 from the charity stripe.
