Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler, left, and New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett congratulate each other after the Heat beat the Knicks 96-92 during Game 6 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Friday, May 12, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Jimmy Butler netted 24 points as Heat pulled off a 96-92 win over the Knicks, to take an unassailable 4-2 lead, thus becoming the first eight seed to reach the conference finals in 24 years
The Miami Heat became the first eighth seed in nearly a quarter century to reach the conference finals on Friday, downing the New York Knicks 96-92 in Game 6 of their series to advance.
Six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler put up 24 points with eight rebounds and four assists to steer the Heat past a Knicks team that was desperate to stay alive in front of a raucous Miami crowd.
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They will next meet either the Philadelphia 76ers or Boston Celtics, who eliminated them in the conference finals a year ago. The Sixers head up to Boston for Game 7 on Sunday.
”We’ve been in games like this all year long, we’re prepared for it,” Butler said in a televised interview. ”We’ve got some really good players on this team.”
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It was bitter disappointment for the Knicks, who rolled over Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening round – their first NBA playoff series win in a decade – and nearly closed the gap with seconds left on the clock.
The Heat, who dominated first seeded Milwaukee Bucks in their opening round, are only the second eighth seed to reach the conference finals after the Knicks, who did it in 1999.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)
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