A look back at the last time Jimmy Butler scored over 50 points

Before Monday's 56-point explosion, the last time Jimmy Butler scored over 50 points was in 2017.

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Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler isn't really known as a high-volume scorer. Don't get us wrong—a man whose nickname is "Buckets" can definitely score—but he typically scores just enough to help his squad get the win. This is why his 56-point explosion in Game 4 against the Milwaukee Bucks turned the NBA world on its head.

The former Marquette star not only did it against a team that features some of the best defensive players in the NBA, but he also helped the Heat inch closer to completing the upset of the league's best regular-season squad. Butler's performance was historic and will be remembered for years to come, while the last time he scored more than 50 points in a game came back on January 2, 2017—more than six years before his career night against Milwaukee.

Got hot against Charlotte

Butler was then playing in his final season for the Chicago Bulls—the team that drafted him with the 30th pick in 2011. The Bulls were at home playing against an excellent Hornets squad led by phenomenal guard Kemba Walker, who scored 34 points on 13-of-20 shooting in that game. However, Butler was just better, as he put up 52 points, while making 15 of his 24 attempts from the field. He also feasted from the charity stripe, where he made all but one of his 22 attempts. He bolstered his stat line with 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals.

Just playing ball

Just like what he did after his 56-point night on Monday, Butler downplayed his point production back then, saying he was just playing the game.

"I was just playing basketball," Butler said. "I didn't even know how many points I had. I just had a groove. Coach kept drawing up the same play."