Butler, Mirotic score big in big Bulls win
This was one of those games that felt like a guaranteed loss.
The Bulls were playing the second leg of back-to-back game against a rested Memphis Grizzlies team, without Derrick Rose inside one of the NBA's toughest buildings to get a road win.
It turned out, the Bulls had plenty of star power available. Jimmy Butler scored 31 points and Nikola Mirotic added 27 as the Bulls pulled off an impressive 103-97 win at Memphis on Friday.
Rose stayed in Chicago, missing his second straight game due to an illness. Taj Gibson also missed his second game because of a sprained right ankle. The Grizzlies played without Chicago native Tony Allen, out with an eye injury.
This was the kind of night that has staff members pondering how to promote players for postseason awards. Butler is a strong contender for most improved player, figures to be a lock for an all-star spot and could go as high as All-NBA second team.
Butler's early surge appears to be no fluke. Over the past two nights, Butler piled up 66 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists, 6 steals, hit 22 of 42 shots from the field and 18 of 19 free throws, while playing 88 minutes.
Butler continues to excel because he can score in so many different ways. He's been hitting jumpers, scoring off the drive and getting to the foul line often.
Mirotic has some ground to make up for rookie of the year, but with the favorite, Milwaukee's Jabari Parker, out for the year with a torn ACL, it could be anybody's race. Mirotic drained 6 of 6 shots from 3-point range Friday while producing his season-high in points. He was the first Bulls rookie to knock down 6 3-pointers in a game since Chris Duhon in 2005.
Aaron Brooks was a pretty good sixth man on this night, producing 17 points off the bench.
The Gasol brothers essentially canceled each other out. Pau finished with 6 points and 11 rebounds, his his worst game as a Bull statistically. Memphis' Marc scored 13 points. Pau Gasol began his NBA career with Memphis in 2001.
"For us, it was a big win," Joakim Noah said after the game, according to bulls.com. "Pau told us this game meant a lot to him. I like that sentimental (stuff)."
The Bulls (17-9) led by 8 at halftime, then stretched the advantage to 13 during the third quarter. Memphis (21-5) made a run, but never had the ball with a chance to tie down the stretch.
Butler hit a pullup jumper with 1:21 left to set the lead at 94-88, then the Bulls hit 9 of 10 free throws the rest of the way.
Memphis shot 39.4 percent from the field and were led by point guard Mike Conley with 21 points.
The Grizzlies were 12-1 at home this season and hadn't lost a home game to an Eastern Conference opponent since losing to the Bulls last year on Dec. 30.
Get the latest Bulls news via Twitter by following @McGrawDHBulls.