Jimmy Butler nails second game-winner in 8 days for 76ers
Eight days after hitting a game-winning 3-pointer for his new team, Jimmy Butler hit a shot from nearly the same spot on the floor with 2.3 seconds to play to give the Philadelphia 76ers a 127-125 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
"Another play drawn up by [Sixers coach Brett Brown], and my teammates have a lot of confidence in me to take shots late," Butler said. "I got to the spot that I wanted to get to. Raised up, and I knocked it down."
The shot gave Philadelphia a win after it trailed Brooklyn by 19 points midway through the third quarter. It also further solidified Butler's reputation as a clutch player.cheap nike nfl jerseys wholesale
Since the start of the 2015-16 season, Butler has five game-winning shots with 10 seconds or less remaining. Only Russell Westbrook (seven) has more in that span, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
"To tell you the truth, it could have been anybody," he said. "They do have a lot of confidence in me, but I have so much more confidence in those guys."
It's worth noting that Butler is 2-for-3 on potential tying or go-ahead shots in the final 10 seconds of play since he was traded to the Sixers two weeks ago. His first make was a 3-pointer from the wing -- nearly the same spot as his shot Sunday -- to give Philadelphia an overtime win against Charlotte on Nov. 17.
All of Butler's Sixers teammates are 1-for-13 in the past two seasons on such shots, per ESPN Stats & Information data.
Brown said after the game that his top option on the Sixers' final possession was for Butler to take a shot with his team trailing by one.cheap nfl jerseys china nike
"Big-time player got to his spot and hit a big-time shot," Joel Embiid, who jumped on Butler in celebration following the winner, said after scoring 32 points against Brooklyn.
Though it wasn't due to lack of confidence in his teammates, Butler joked that he had no intention of passing the ball when he got it out of a timeout with less than 10 seconds to play.
