The Miami Heat trailed the Boston Celtics 98-96 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals when Jimmy Butler grabbed a defensive rebound with 18.7 seconds left and head upcourt.
Butler, who had been the hero for Miami with 47 points in Game 6, tried to reprise that role, firing a pullup three-pointer in transition to give his team the lead. Unfortunately, the shot came up short, and Miami wound up losing 100-96.
After the game, Butler was asked if he regretted shooting quickly and going for the lead instead of a tie.
Saying that he had the backing of his teammates, Butler answered with an emphatic no.
Miami actually trailed Boston 98-85 with 3:35 to go before Kyle Lowry and Max Strus keyed an 11-0 spurt to make it a two-point game.
Butler finished the night with a game-high 35 points on 13-of-24 shooting. No doubt, he wishes he had that one more made shot in him, but it’s clear he doesn’t have any second thoughts about the attempt he made.