Kyle Lowry orchestrated the final play, Kevin Love provided a crucial screen, and Jimmy Butler, who scored 28 points overall, sealed the deal with a game-winning shot, leading the Miami Heat to a thrilling 118-116 victory over the Chicago Bulls during the NBA’s Saturday night slate.
“Anybody can make that shot,” Butler said. “All in all, it’s really dope to win because wins are super-hard to come by in this league.”
There was no shortage of solid performances from the Heat’s supporting cast to provide Butler with help before the pivotal final shot. Kevin Love scored 22 points, Jaime Jaquez Jr. contributed 18, Caleb Martin added 17, and Lowry rounded off with 10 points and seven assists.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls Updates
For Chicago, DeMar DeRozan led with 27 points, followed by Patrick Williams with 25, Coby White with 22, Torrey Craig with 16, and Nikola Vucevic, who also had 11 rebounds, with 12 points. Vucevic missed a potential lead-taking shot just 15 seconds before the game’s conclusion, setting the stage for Butler’s heroics.
“That’s the no-brainer of no-brainers,” Spoelstra said.
The Heat executed without timeouts in the final moments, as coach Erik Spoelstra trusted his players’ judgment. Butler, using screens set by Love and Lowry, created the space for his winning shot, drawing praise from Bulls coach Billy Donovan for his execution.
“He obviously got to his spot,” Donovan said. “I think we can certainly learn something from that.”
Miami played without Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, both sidelined due to injuries but expected to return soon. The Bulls also faced injury challenges, with Craig exiting at halftime and Alex Caruso out due to an ankle injury.
“Hopefully, a few days clears it up,” Donovan said of Caruso. “But we don’t anticipate him missing any major time.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls Updates
The game was notable for its three-point shooting, especially in the first half, with the teams combining for 21 from beyond the arc. Love’s early hot streak helped Miami establish an early lead, but Chicago fought back to close the gap by halftime.
The Bulls briefly led in the third quarter, but Miami regained control, setting up a nail-biting fourth quarter where the lead changed hands multiple times before Butler’s climactic shot. Kevin Love hailed Butler as the “best closer in the game” following the dramatic win.
Next, the Bulls will face the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, while the Heat will host the Minnesota Timberwolves the same evening.
