Jimmy Butler explodes for 56 points as the Heat defeat the Bucks.

On April 25, the Miami Heat beat the visiting Milwaukee Bucks 119-114 to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. Jimmy Butler scored 56 points, which was a club playoff record.

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Butler scored 19 of 28 for the eighth-seeded Heat, who took control of the best-of-seven series. Butler scored 49 points in a playoff game against the Brooklyn Nets on May 12, 2014, surpassing LeBron James' 49.

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Regular season and playoffs, Butler established a career-best.

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The NBA playoff game's 56 points tied for fourth. Butler trails Michael Jordan (63, 1986 Chicago Bulls), Elgin Baylor (61, 1962 Los Angeles Lakers), and Donovan Mitchell (57, 2020 Utah Jazz).

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Wilt Chamberlain (Philadelphia Warriors, 1962), Jordan (Bulls, 1992), and Charles Barkley (Phoenix Suns, 1994) scored 56.

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The top-seeded Bucks' Brook Lopez recorded 36 points and 11 rebounds. After a two-game layoff due to a back ailment, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 26 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds.

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The Heat can win the series in Game 5 in Milwaukee on Wednesday night. Miami, which never led, got 12 points from Caleb Martin and 15 from Bam Adebayo.

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Butler scored 21 fourth-quarter points and helped the Heat win with a 3-pointer with 1:20 left.

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Butler's 22-footer and two free throws extended the lead to five, and Adebayo's two free throws capped a 9-0 run to give Miami a 116-109 lead with 32.7 seconds left.

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As the Heat won, the Bucks came no closer than four. Antetokounmpo missed two games after injuring his back in Game 1. They split.

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Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton each scored 14 points for the Bucks, who shot 43.3 percent from the field and nailed 13 of 40 3-point tries (32.5 percent).

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With 3:03 left, Antetokounmpo's three-point play gave the Bucks a two-point advantage.

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The Heat trailed 33-28 despite Butler's 22 first-quarter points on 9-of-10 shooting. Milwaukee led 57-50 at halftime and 89-78 entering the fourth quarter.

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