The Heat and Timberwolves are headed to the playoffs. The Bulls and Thunder are headed home. Miami and Minnesota clinched the eighth and final seeds in their respective conferences Friday night in the final round of the play-in tournament. The Heat outlasted the Bulls in a defensive thriller while the T-Wolves blew out a young Thunder team. Here are four thoughts on the play-in results …

1. Jimmy Butler was named a finalist for the Clutch Player of the Year on Friday, and he lived up to that billing in the play-in finale. Butler entered the fourth quarter with just under 10 minutes to go and the Heat trailing by four. Miami ended up winning by 11. Jimmy Buckets scored 13 in the decisive frame, adding two assists and a steal for good measure. Butler’s relentless assault on the rim earned him six trips to the free-throw line and his layups actually started falling. He and Bam Adebayo also keyed a furious defensive stretch—the Heat allowed only one point in the last three minutes and 47 seconds of action.

For all of Miami’s struggles this year, Butler has been fantastic. Considering his efficiency, 2023 was arguably the best offensive season of Butler’s career. And he’s been a killer in crunch time all season long. If the Heat have any chance of even taking a game off the Bucks, it starts and ends with Butler. He has to keep Miami within striking distance, and then hope he can work his clutch magic late in games.