Jimmy Butler went where no other Chicago Bulls player had been before on Sunday, not even Michael Jordan.
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Jordan set the record with 39 points in the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks on February 16, 1989. Chicago Bulls’ Jimmy Butler celebrates a three-point basket against the Toronto Raptors during second half NBA basketball action in Toronto on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016.
It was after Butler had sunk the go-ahead 3-pointer with 30.9 seconds left, capping a rally from 15 down in the Bulls’ 115-113 victory over the Raptors, their fourth straight, on an afternoon in which Derrick Rose missed his third straight game in advance of a Monday MRI on his sore right hamstring and knee.
“Don’t compare me to him”, Butler said.
“Don’t compare me to him”. “You don’t see individual efforts like this too often”, Scottie Pippen said in a tweet.
The Raptors appeared in control late holding a 105-100 lead with 2:57 to go in the game, but Butler was just unstoppable, making a three-pointer to cut it down to two points. Along with increasing his scoring average by more than 10 points per game, Butler’s shooting percentage increases from 44 percent with Rose to 52.5 percent without Rose.
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Lou Williams scored a season-high 30 points, and the Lakers sent Phoenix to its ninth straight loss.
Bulls centre Joakim Noah missed his fifth straight game with a left shoulder sprain, but coach Fred Hoiberg said Noah is doing very well. Cory Joseph had nine points off the bench during the quarter.
DeRozan posted 23 points and Kyle Lowry notched his fourth double-double of the season, finishing with 18 points and 11 assists as the Raptors overcame a seven-point deficit heading into the final quarter.
Wall had 12 points in the fourth quarter, and Kris Humphries scored 11. For the first 24 games of the Chicago Bulls’ season, Bobby Portis watched, cheered on his teammates and waited his turn.
In ATS trends, the Bulls are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games and 4-13 ATS in their last 17 games following a win, while the Raptors are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games against a team above.
Butler was criticised for the statements at the time, though it has clearly lit a spark under the Bulls who have won their last three games.
“Time after time and it just wasn’t one way”, Hoiberg said of Butler.
With the game tied 109-109, Lowry hit a turn-around jumper with 40.9 seconds left to put the Raptors ahead by two points.
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Anthony has scored at least 20 points in 19 of his 32 games this season.
