Playoff Jimmy Sparks Warriors’ Breakthrough—Can They Close Out the Series at 3-1?

In a night filled with jaw-dropping moments, it’s easy to overlook just how crucial the Cleveland Cavaliers’ playoff sweep was—and just how many tough calls Miami’s front office needs to wrestle with this offseason. The Warriors eked out a nail-biter against the Rockets, led by a playoff-hardened Jimmy Butler who made sure every point counted after returning from injury. Meanwhile, Houston’s young talent flashed moments of promise but still can’t quite find that clutch go-to presence. Over in the East, the Cavaliers didn’t just advance—they dismantled Miami in a blowout that raises serious questions about the Heat’s future trajectory. This sets the stage for a searing summer of decision-making in Miami, while Cleveland quietly positions itself as a real contender. Buckle up, because the reshuffling has just begun. LEARN MORE

He scored 14 of his 27 PTS in the final frame to lead the Warriors to victory and a 3-1 series lead! pic.twitter.com/txCJqoZDgh

WARRIORS 106, ROCKETS 103 (Golden State leads series 3-1)

Miami is not a franchise that will tear things down to the studs and rebuild for a few years. Expect Riley to go big game hunting this summer, but reality could hit the Heat hard — they don’t have picks and players to compete for the biggest names. Miami might be willing to roll the dice on someone such as Zion Williamson, but that comes with its own risks.

Miami heads into the offseason facing difficult questions in the post-Jimmy Butler era.

Playoff Jimmy came to PLAY in the fourth quarter 😤Butler scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter — including hitting free throws that proved to be the game winners — plus secured the game-sealing rebound. Oh, and he got in Dillon Brooks’ face.Monday night the Heat were swept out of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion, losing Game 4 at home by 55 points. They lost the four games by a combined 122 points, an NBA record.

CAVALIERS 138, HEAT 83 (Cavaliers sweep series 4-0)

Credit the Rockets for going into these playoffs with this core, wanting to see who would step up, and what holes needed to be filled (it’s what OKC did a season ago). The Rockets got their answer, but finding their own Jimmy Butler this summer will not be easy.Miami gave up a late lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft for this.Brandin Podziemski was the other player who earned Golden State this win. He had 26 points, but he was also strong on defense and was the guy doing all the little things all game long that add up to winning a playoff game.They have Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo, but this is a roster far from competing at a level near where the Heat are accustomed to being. Think about it this way: Is Miami the win-now place Kevin Durant — or, if he asks for a trade Giannis Antetokounmpo — would want to go? Is an aging Kevin Durant the answer?The Heat owed their 2025 first-round pick to the Thunder (via the Clippers), but it was lottery-protected. Miami was the No. 10 seed in the East, with the 11th-worst record in the league, which would have landed it in the lottery if it had lost in the play-in. Instead, it won its way out through the Play-In Tournament, beating the Bulls and Hawks, earning a spot in the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.Houston’s offense flowed better in this game because Fred VanVleet was hot (31 points, 8 3-pointers) and Draymond Green sat a lot due to foul trouble. However, in the clutch, Houston faced the same challenge it has all series, the one we all wondered about coming in: Did the Rockets have anyone who could get a bucket in the clutch? Who was the crunch time ball handler and shot creator? Jalen Green was that for one game scoring 38 (and the Rockets won), but he has scored in single digits every other game. Amen Thompson is not that guy, at least not yet. So, it was an Alperen Sengun isolation to try and win the game.It’s going to be a hot summer in Miami.
Almost overlooked on the night is that the Cavaliers advanced and Miami has some questions to answer.