The report emphasized that the Bulls were not looking to trade their leading scorer, who has been out the last 11 games with a knee strain.
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“He just gives you that great physical presence out there that can stay in front of guys”. According to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, the Boston Celtics put together a trade package for shooting guard Jimmy Butler but the Bulls turned it down. The Bulls also were moving the ball adroitly and with objective, chalking up 10 first quarter assists and 58 percent shooting for a 29-23 lead.
Two disappointing teams fighting for playoff contention in their respective conferences met tonight on national TV in an important game for their prospective postseason positions, but only one team played like they were actually interested in the playoffs. Chicago shot 45.6 percent (36 of 79) from the field and 42.9 percent (nine of 21) from three-point range. On a Bulls roster lined with one-dimensional players, he’s the most complete player, and being a net positive at all moments on the floor matters greatly.
The Rockets were in foul trouble all night, with Harden, Donatas Motiejunas, Beverley and Howard all having to take a seat at one point or another racking up violations, with Howard eventually fouling out (along with the Bulls’ Butler).
“You see the impact Jimmy has because of his ability to make life hard for the elite wing players in this league”, Hoiberg said.
Regardless of how many minutes Butler plays on Saturday night, his return couldn’t have come at a better time for the Bulls.
The Bulls entered the fourth quarter with an 83-75 advantage. “We understand that. But like everyone says, the more stops you get, the more points you get in transition”. 500 mark, but the season felt over.
Taj Gibson also is starting after missing a game because of a hamstring problem, and Nikola Mirotic is available for the first time since Jan.25. Mirotic missed 16 games as he recovered from surgeries to remove his appendix and a hematoma…. The second overall pick in the 2008 draft, he spent this season in the Chinese Basketball Association and had not played in an NBA game since a year ago with Miami.
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Pau Gasol committed eight of those turnovers, bested only by Harden giving it away nine times of his own, but Gasol filled the stat sheet against former teammate Dwight Howard to make up for things.
