Heat set NBA record with 40-for-40 night at free-throw line, capped by Jimmy Butler's winner
The Miami Heat set an NBA record for free throws made without a miss Tuesday, and they needed every single one of them.
Facing the Oklahoma City Thunder at home, the Heat went an unprecedented 40-for-40 from the charity stripe in a 112-111 win. The record-breaker came in dramatic fashion, as Jimmy Butler posted an and-1 with 12.9 seconds remaining and his team down by two points.
After tying the game 111-111, Butler made one last free throw for the win and the record. Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a would-be winner on the other end to finish the game.
JIMMY BUTLER'S AND-1 WINS THE GAME AND GIVES THE @MiamiHEAT A NEW NBA-RECORD OF 40 FREE THROWS WITHOUT A MISS 🤯 pic.twitter.com/AZMDhUbWf8
— NBA (@NBA) January 11, 2023
The previous record-holder was the Utah Jazz, who made 39 free throws without a miss on Dec. 7, 1982. The Jazz lost to the Portland Trail Blazers that night.
The majority of the Heat's free throws Tuesday came from Butler, who went 23-for-23 from the line in a 35-point night. He also posted seven rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks while shooting 6-for-17 from the field.
The other record contributors were Gabe Vincent (6-for-6), Jamal Cain (2-for-2), Max Strus (2-for-2), Victor Oladipo (2-for-2) and Dewayne Dedmon (2-for-2), who had an eventful day for reasons beyond the record.