Sixers coach Brett Brown said the extra defensive attention his team gave Butler led to Moore?s outburst.
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“Because I got a bet with my trainer that I’m going to play 82 games”, Butler said when asked why he played when he could have sat out.
Full disclosure: I prewrote a recap for this game in the second quarter. Rather, Chicago’s struggles came on defense, where they allowed the Sixers to go 45.2 percent from the field and 12-of-27 from deep.
Jimmy Butler was a one-man wrecking crew vs. the Sixers, tallying a career-high 53 points, which is the most by a visiting player in the building’s history, in 49 minutes.
Smith then tied it at 101 on a drive before Moore’s 3-pointer from the left wing put the Bulls ahead 104-101 with 1:17 left in regulation.
Joakim Noah, who started for Gasol and finished with six points, 16 rebounds, eight assists and seven turnovers, added a similar take. He missed two, which could have landed him the record.
In the game, Butler racked up 53 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and three steals for the Bulls, who snapped a three-game losing streak with a 115-111 victory over the 76’ers.
He shot only four times from beyond the arc (making two) and set a new National Basketball Association season high for free throws attempts by someone other than DeAndre Jordan with 25. And he defended Smith’s driving layup with 25 seconds left, providing just enough length for it to bounce off the rim, preventing the 76ers from tying it again.
Chicago limited Philadelphia to 5-for-20 shooting in the period and seized eight offensive rebounds.
That was the most points by a Bull since Jordan dropped 53 against the Pistons in 1996.
The Bulls were without Pau Gasol, who remained back in Chicago to rest a shoulder injury, and Derrick Rose, the latter who sat out with knee tendinitis. “But it’s all about getting a solid season under my belt, playing hard in the playoffs whenever we get there and along the way just being smart and really taking care of my body and pushing my teammates to be better”. With Jerami Grant out with a sore calf, Sampson was thrown into the starting lineup and matched up against Butler in his 25 minutes.
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The 76ers came up short in their quest to treat fans to an all-around enjoyable night. Hinrich scored five points….
