Should Chicago Bulls get Butler more shots?

Michael Jordan scored at least 40 points literally hundreds of times during his Chicago Bulls career.

Since the championship era ended in 1998, there have been 13 occasions when a Bulls player has scored at least 42 points.

Derrick Rose has done it three times, all during his MVP season of 2010-11. None since he tore his ACL.

Ben Gordon, no longer in the league, did it three times. Jamal Crawford did it twice, including the Bulls' only 50-point game of the post-MJ era. There has been one each for Pau Gasol, Elton Brand and Jalen Rose.

Then there's Jimmy Butler, who has scored at least 42 points twice in the last 18 days. He piled up 43 in the four-overtime loss to Detroit on Dec. 18, then broke Jordan's franchise record for points in a half by scoring 40 of his 42 points after halftime Sunday at Toronto.

“It was a really special performance,” coach Fred Hoiberg said Monday at the Advocate Center. “The left-handed runner off the glass; the 3s that he hit, including that last one that put us up by 1; the crazy step-backs; getting himself to the free-throw line, drawing contact — he did a little bit of everything.

“When you put up 40 in a half, it's going to take multiple ways to put the ball in the basket.”

Butler's performance in Toronto told us plenty about his future with the Bulls and also posed a few questions. Mainly, do the Bulls need to adjust their offense to get Butler more shots?

The answer to that one is, not necessarily. Butler already is performing at a high level. At 21.8 points per game, he's the league's 12th-leading scorer. Over the last 10 games, Butler is averaging 24.1 points and shooting 48 percent from the field.

Even considering Butler's prolific work ethic, it's hard to imagine him doing much better than that. He made the All-Star Game for the first time last season and has a good chance to make one of the three all-NBA teams this year.

Here are two things the Bulls should do with Butler: Make him the primary option in late-game scoring situations and get someone to help him on defense.

Great NBA scorers need some sort of edge, something that allows them to get their shot off against great defenders. For Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, it was height. For Karl Malone, strength. For Jordan and Kobe Bryant, elite athleticism.

For Steph Curry, it's both great handles and perhaps the best shooting touch in league history. LeBron James brings all of the above, pretty much.

Beginning in Butler's second season with the Bulls, when he started playing regularly, there was reason to be encouraged by his offensive potential. He showed versatility from the start, being able to shoot 3s, pull up for shorter jumpers and finish drives to the hoop.

Butler has improved in all areas. His work ethic is on display whenever he leaves his feet. Based on the eye test, Butler's vertical jump is among the best in the NBA, and that's what helps him get his shot off.

Butler did plenty of damage Sunday against Toronto's DeMarre Carroll, thought to be one of the East's better defenders.

Rose used to have the elite athleticism that allowed him to score against anyone. He's still pretty good, but Butler is better and deserves to be the late-game primary scorer.

“I think the unique thing about this team is we've got a lot of guys that can heat up,” Hoiberg said Monday. “Some nights it's going to be Pau. Some nights it's going to be Derrick and it has been Derrick, especially down the stretch.

“It was Tony Snell against Toronto (on Dec. 28). But we've got a lot of guys that can get it going.”

While Butler figures to be an all-defensive team regular, he still needs help. No matter how much the Bulls tinker with the roster, the task will be the same this year and in the foreseeable future: beat James in a playoff series.

The last three teams to defeat James in the Finals — Golden State, San Antonio and Dallas — had something in common. They had multiple guys who could guard James. No one is going to shut down LeBron, but forcing him into long jumpers will yield better success.

The Bulls aren't likely to beat the Cavs in the playoffs needing Butler to score 25 points per game and guard James for 42 minutes.

They need to either trade for some sort of veteran who can be a decent LeBron-stopper or change their approach. Maybe pass the job between Taj Gibson, Joakim Noah, E'Twaun Moore and Snell for most of the night, then turn Butler loose for the final six minutes.

He keeps getting better, but he can't do everything.

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