LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The trophy was ready.
Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat delayed its appearance. The NBA Finals are not over, not after Butler and the Heat pulled off a virtuoso performance in Game 5 on Friday night.
Butler had 35 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, and the Heat watched Danny Green’s wide-open 3-pointer in the final seconds bounce off the rim on the way to beating Los Angeles 111-108 — cutting the Lakers’ lead in the title series to 3-2.
Game 6 is Sunday night.
Duncan Robinson had 26 points for Miami, which used seven players.