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Jimmy Butler was the difference maker for the Miami Heat in their 123-116 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday. Butler has been arguably the best player in this year's playoffs, and fans are joking that it's due to his heritage.
The Heat superstar erupted for 35 points, five rebounds, seven assists and six steals to help Miami steal homecourt advantage from the Celtics. Bam Adebayo added 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus each had 15 points.
Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum was the main man for Boston with 30 points and seven rebounds. Jaylen Brown contributed 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Malcolm Brogdon scored 19 points off the bench.
There has been a running joke of sorts that Butler is the son of Michael Jordan and his performance in Game 1 only fueled the rumors.
One fan claimed:
"Michael Jordan better get a DNA test from Jimmy Butler. That man clearly has his dad genes when it comes to clutch!"
Here are other reactions to Butler's Game 1 performance:
Jimmy Butler was abandoned by his father when he was an infant
The rumors about Michael Jordan being Butler's father resurfaced in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs after the Heat star had a Jordan-esque performance against the Milwaukee Bucks.
However, these rumors are not true. Butler's full name is Jimmy Butler III. His father is Jimmy Butler II, who abandoned him and his mother Londa when he was just an infant.
Butler's mom eventually kicked him out when he was 13, and Butler had to live in his friend's house for a while. His friend was former NFL wide receiver Jordan Leslie. The Leslie family took him in, and Butler repaid their sacrifice after he got into the NBA.
Despite being abandoned by his father and thrown out by his mother, Butler does not hold any grudges against his parents.
"I don't hold grudges," Butler told ESPN in 2011. "I still talk to my family. My mom, my father. We love each other. That's never going to change."
