Jimmy Butler knows where his Miami Heat went wrong in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Heat lost to the Boston Celtics 117-106 in Game 3 on Saturday night in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Celtics came out desperate for a win and meant business. They never trailed during the game and led by as many as 20.
According to Butler, the problem was very simple: “We didn’t play hard enough, or do anything we set out to do,” he said after the game.
Miami made comebacks in Games 1 and 2 of the series but it was unable to come back in Game 3.
Butler scored 17 points in the game and was actually on the bench for the final 46.9 seconds. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he was hoping to get something different down seven at the end.
Boston had a must-win mentality for the game and that’s why it played harder than Miami. Butler believes that the Heat will find out if they have what it takes as the series continues.
The Heat and Celtics have played every other day for the first three games of the series, but now they will have three full days off before Game 4 on Wednesday. Miami might need the extra rest to come back energized.
