It's safe to say that Jimmy Butler was feeling it.
In the Heat's Game 6 win over the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, Butler exploded for 47 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals to force a Game 7.
Butler made a whole lot of history in the process. Only Wilt Chamberlain has ever scored more points in a playoff win on the road while facing elimination, only LeBron James has ever scored more points in a playoff game in a Heat uniform and Butler became the first player since Michael Jordan with multiple 40-point, four-steal games in a single series.
Anytime you're rubbing shoulders with Wilt, LeBron and Jordan, you know you've done something right.
How did Butler pick apart a Celtics team that has been locking up the best of the best all season long ... and can he do it again, this time to secure a spot in the NBA Finals?
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Keeping the defense honest
Butler has long been one of the league's best at getting to the rim, but his jumper was falling in Game 6.
Of the 16 shots he made, nine came outside of the restricted area. Butler went 5-for-8 from midrange and 4-for-8 from 3-point range. Believe it or not, it's only the fourth time since joining the Heat that he has made four or more 3-pointers in a game, regular season and playoffs combined.
Some of those jumpers were pretty open...
...but Butler hit a number of tough ones, particularly down the stretch when the game ground to a halt.
There's not a whole lot that can be done when Butler's jumper is falling. Not only does he have the size to shoot over most players, but the closer teams have to defend him, the easier it is for him to get into the paint where he does the bulk of his damage.
Even with Marcus Smart hounding him, Butler was able to get to the cup and use his size to his advantage.
Fun fact: Butler scored 15 points with Smart as his primary defender in Game 6, according to ESPN's Kirk Goldsberry. That's tied for the most in any playoff game against the Defensive Player of the Year.
Want to guess the other player who did it? None other than JJ Redick.
MORE: Butler reveals inspiration behind epic Game 6 performance
An aggressive mindset
Ah yes, free throws.
Butler attempted a whopping 18 free throws in Game 1 of this series. In Games 2-5, he combined to attempt 14 free throws.
The knee injury Butler is dealing with could've had something to do with that — he didn't look nearly as explosive in some of those games — but he was back to his foul-drawing ways in Game 6, going a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe.
Whatever Butler did to get himself prepared for Game 6 worked. He looked much more comfortable attacking the basket and had several strong finishes.
According to NBA.com, Butler drove a total of 23 times in Game 6. In Games 2-5, he averaged 9.3 drives per game. Not all of his Game 6 drives resulted in points for him either. Most of his assists came in the form of drive and kicks.
It helps that the Heat were able to knock down some 3s, but they're a different team when Butler's in attack mode.
It'll be interesting to see if the Celtics double Butler more in Game 7 than they did in Game 6 in an effort to get the ball out of his hands and force someone else to beat them.
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"This was James Butler"
This will mark the third Game 7 of Butler's career.
The first came in Butler's sophomore season when the Bulls and Nets went the distance in the first round of the playoffs. Chicago came away with the win, but Butler had a quiet game, finishing with nine points (3-for-10 shooting), five rebounds and four assists.
The second came in Butler's one and only season with the 76ers when, well, Kawhi Leonard hit one of the most iconic shots in NBA history to end Philadelphia's season. Butler scored 16 points (5-for-14 shooting) to go along with four rebounds, one assist and one steal.
It wasn't his finest game, but it's easy to forget that Butler was the one who tied it up before the four bounces happened.
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Even if those performances don't jump out, there's a reason Butler has earned the reputation of being a 16-game player, a reference to him being better in the playoffs than he is in the regular season — the higher the stakes, the better he usually plays.
Sunday's Game 7 will be another opportunity for Butler to prove that.
