McGraw: Butler saves Bulls with perfect pump-fake

Give Minnesota credit. It traded Kevin Love for the last two No. 1 overall draft picks and isn't afraid to put the young guys on the court.

The Timberwolves nearly pulled off an impressive win over the short-handed Bulls on Saturday at the Target Center, but youthful exuberance made a difference at the end.

After Kevin Martin's 3-point basket gave Minnesota a 1-point lead with 2.9 seconds left, the Bulls called time out and set up a play for Jimmy Butler, back from a sprained left thumb.

Butler caught the pass, slipped to the floor, but kept his dribble and got back on his feet. He avoided the travel and was able to pump-fake rookie Andrew Wiggins about six feet into the air.

From there, Butler easily drew the foul, drained both free throws with 0.2 seconds on the clock and the Bulls escaped with a 106-105 victory.

“I said, ‘Oh I'm going to get him, I'm going to get him,' ” Butler said. “I gave him the pump fake and he bit on it.”

Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson both sat out Saturday, one night after suffering sprained ankles against Cleveland. But Butler was ready to go and he still carried the offensive confidence displayed in preseason.

Butler finished with a team-high 24 points, hitting 6 of 12 shots from the field and 11 of 15 free throws. Pau Gasol added 20 points, while backup point guard Aaron Brooks scored 16.

A night earlier, Butler and the Bulls couldn't come to terms on a contract extension. Butler said he wants to stay in Chicago and believes in his ability to become a better player.

If the deadline was extended 24 hours, you have to wonder if the Bulls would have increased their final offer. If Butler keeps playing like this, he'll be in high demand as a restricted free agent next summer, although the Bulls can match any offer.

Thanks to Butler's heroics, the Bulls barely improved to 2-1. Health, rebounds and defense continue to be concerns. Martin's go-ahead 3-pointer was Minnesota fourth shot of the possession.

First, Mo Williams missed a 3-pointer. Martin beat Butler to the rebound, but missed a corner jumper. Center Nikola Pekovic ripped the rebound away from Tony Snell and his layup attempt was blocked by Joakim Noah.

But Noah's block sent the ball out to Williams on the perimeter. He tossed it over to Martin (33 points), who had all day to line up the 3-point shot from the left wing.

The Bulls used a powerful offense to build a 63-49 advantage at halftime. They didn't bring the same edge in the third quarter, though, and the Timberwolves quickly tied the score at 76-76.

Butler answered with a 3-pointer and the Bulls managed to keep the lead until Martin's free throws put Minnesota up 95-94 with 3:58 left. The lead changed hands nine times in the final four minutes.

There is plenty of room for improvement, but the Bulls' depth is impressive. With Gibson out, rookie Nikola Mirotic played 28 minutes and was effective, with 12 points and 8 rebounds. Mike Dunleavy added 13 points, while Noah had 11 rebounds.

The Bulls will get two days off before hosting Orlando on Tuesday. Rose and Gibson are both considered day-to-day with their injuries. They warmed up Saturday before deciding to sit out.

For Minnesota, Anthony Bennett, the No. 1 overall pick in 2013, scored 12 points, while Wiggins had 8.

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