MIAMI (AFP) – Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat caught fire down the stretch to beat the Chicago Bulls, 102-91, and reach the NBA playoffs on Friday, as the Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder to book their postseason berth.
Miami, smarting from a loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, clinched the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final seed to set up a meeting with the top seeded Milwaukee Bucks starting on Sunday.
Minnesota, meanwhile, will face Western Conference top seeds Denver in the first round of the playoffs after a comprehensive 120-95 blowout of Oklahoma City.
While Minnesota romped into the postseason, Miami’s clash with Chicago went down to the wire before Butler, helped by the three-pointers of Max Strus, secured victory for Erik Spoelstra’s team.
Butler put up 31 points, a tally matched by Strus who shot 7-12 on three pointers, including a crucial 26-foot jumper with 1:14 left that put Miami 96-91 up.
For Strus, who grew up as a Bulls fan in the suburbs of Chicago and was released by them before joining Miami, it was a sweet night.
“It’s huge. It doesn’t really matter who we’re playing – we had to win this one, no matter what. It was win or go home and we’re not done yet.
“So we want to keep playing and it’s good to get that one. But it does feel a little bit better against them, I’m not gonna lie,” he said.
Strus secured the win with three free throws after he was fouled by Alex Caruso as he tried to make a throw from the corner.
The Heat had been 14 points up in the first quarter but a 12-2 run from the Bulls in the third levelled the game up at 56-56.
A Zach LaVine dunk then put Chicago up for the first time since the opening basket of the game and three three-pointers early in the fourth from Coby White ensured the Bulls were 90-87 with three minutes to go.
But then Butler and Strus took control.
Butler was fouled while making a lay-up and then Bam Adebayo, who grabbed 17 rebounds, sank two free throws after he was fouled by Nikola Vucevic to make it 93-90.
Butler set up Strus for a three pointer before he then made sure of the victory from the free-throw line.
