Jimmy Butler Stuns Philadelphia 76ers With Acrobatic Layup to End Miami Heat’s Losing Streak

Jimmy Butler Stuns Philadelphia 76ers With Acrobatic Layup to End Miami Heat’s Losing Streak

Joel Reyes
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:26 PM
  • The Miami Heat ended their losing streak with a win on the road in Philadelphia
  • Jimmy Butler proved to be the difference, making the go-ahead basket late in the game
  • The Sixers have lost their last two games to the Celtic and Heat by a combined five points

The Miami Heat finally snapped their four-game losing streak with a 101-99 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.

It was a critical win for the Heat, who moved to within two games of the Brooklyn Nets for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Only the top six teams in each conference will have guaranteed spots in the NBA Playoffs.

Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Jimmy Butler shoots an acrobatic reverse layup past Joel Embiid. Image: Tim Nwachukwu
Source: Getty Images

Jimmy Butler grabbed the headlines on Saturday when he said he was tired of losing. He backed up his words, scoring an acrobatic reverse layup against the Sixers with 1:28 left to give Miami the lead for good, per CBS News.

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Butler shines against Philadelphia

He finished an assist shy of a triple-double, racking up 23 points, 11 rebounds, and nine dimes against the Sixers. Butler was also a menace on the defensive end, recording four steals.

Butler’s go-ahead basket was a thing of beauty. He made a spinning move first, then dissected the defense of P.J. Tucker and Joel Embiid mid-air. He created some space by using the other side of the glass, converting the tough layup to stun the Sixers faithful.

Butler added a free throw with 8.1 seconds remaining to give Miami a 101-99 lead.

Sixers' comeback falls short

The Sixers had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, but James Harden’s 3-point attempt bounced off the back of the rim as time expired.

It was a disappointing defeat for the Sixers, who rallied from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter. However, Philly’s comeback bid was thwarted by Butler, who made critical plays on both ends of the floor to seal the win for Miami.

Philadelphia endures another tough loss

Sports Brief recently reported on the Sixers’ last heartbreaking defeat against the Boston Celtics.

Jayson Tatum produced a moment of magic, draining a clutch three-pointer from the top of the key with 1.3 seconds left to give Boston a 110-107 advantage.

Joel Embiid sent fans into a frenzy when his 3-point heave from the backcourt went in. Unfortunately for the Sixers, Embiid’s shot did not count, as he released the ball after the buzzer sounded.

Authors
Joel Reyes photo
Joel Reyes
Joel Reyes is a sports editor at Sportsbrief.com with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of the Philippines. He has eight years of work experience in sports writing.
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