Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat caught fire down the stretch on Friday to beat the Chicago Bulls 102-91 and reach the NBA playoffs, as the Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder to book their post-season 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 today.
Minnesota are to face Western Conference top seeds Denver in the first round of the playoffs after a comprehensive 120-95 blowout of Oklahoma City.
Photo: Sam Navarro-USA Today
While Minnesota romped into the post-season, Miami’s clash with Chicago went down to the wire before Butler, helped by the three-pointers of Max Strus, secured victory for coach 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 minute, 14 seconds 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,” Strus said.
“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 leveled 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 3 minutes to go.
However, Butler and Strus then took control.
Butler was fouled while making a layup 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 made sure of the victory from the free-throw line.
DeMar DeRozan top scored for the Bulls with 26 points and nine assists.
In Minneapolis, the Timberwolves demolished Oklahoma City.
Minnesota led by as many as 29 points at one stage in the fourth quarter and were up by double digits for most of the second half.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves scoring with 28 points, while all five starters finished in double figures.
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
Aaron Civale got a little wild in the right-hander’s first start for the Chicago White Sox two days after he was traded by the Milwaukee Brewers. Civale on Sunday walked four of the first seven hitters he faced in a 2-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. The 30-year-old finished with four walks, one off his career high, while allowing six hits and two runs in five innings. He threw 65 strikes and 39 balls. Chicago trailed 2-1 when he was replaced by Dan Altavilla to start the sixth. “Not the cleanest,” Civale said. “It’s been a whirlwind of a week. First couple
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
DOMINANT JUVENTUS: Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao both scored braces as Juventus made a statement in their opener with a big win over Al-Ain Phil Foden on Wednesday scored two minutes into the match and later had an assist to lead Premier League powerhouse Manchester City past Moroccan club Wydad AC 2-0 at the FIFA Club World Cup. City broke Wydad’s five-man defensive line early when Foden scored on a deflected cross by goalkeeper El Mehdi Benabid. Jeremy Doku doubled City’s lead in the 42nd minute off a corner-kick from Foden. Shortly afterward, an animal-rights advocate ran onto the field to protest Morocco’s treatment of stray dogs and cats. The man was tackled by security workers and escorted out of Lincoln Financial Field, which was just over
RSS