Butler leads Bulls to easy win over Lakers
There hasn't been much question about the identity of the Bulls' best player this season. It's Jimmy Butler.
Butler's status was validated Thursday when he was selected to appear in his second-straight NBA All-Star Game. Butler was named an Eastern Conference reserve, along with Toronto's DeMar DeRozan, Washington's John Wall, Boston's Isaiah Thomas, Detroit's Andre Drummond, Atlanta's Paul Millsap and Miami's Chris Bosh.
Late Thursday night, Butler led the Bulls to an easy 114-91 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center, the start of a seven-game, 12-day “ice show” road trip. Butler finished with 26 points and 10 assists. Pau Gasol added 21 points and 12 rebounds. Derrick Rose scored 16 points and Doug McDermott added 15.
The Bulls (26-19) never trailed and hit 9 of 10 shots during a 21-8 run that ended with the visitors ahead by 21 points early in the second quarter. The Lakers (9-39) lost their eighth straight game.
There were a couple surprises in Thursday's starting lineup. Rose was ready for action and started the game, after leaving Monday's loss to Miami at halftime because of back and hamstring issues.
Coach Fred Hoiberg gave E'Twaun Moore his first start as a Bull at small forward, while Tony Snell moved to the bench. Moore missed Monday's game with a hamstring injury.
After the morning shootaround at UCLA, Hoiberg talked about Nikola Mirotic's appendicitis, which will sideline the second-year forward for three weeks. Mirotic had surgery on Wednesday after practicing the previous day.
“He had a little pain at the game (Monday),” Hoiberg said, according to espn.com. “He thought it was something he ate. It wasn't anything that was going to keep him out. Then the next morning he came in, it was worse. So you're thinking abdominal strain or something like that. Thankfully our training staff sent him over to get evaluated by our doctors.”
This year's All-Star Game will be played Feb. 14 in Toronto. Butler played just nine minutes in last year's contest, scoring 6 points.
Butler is the Bulls' top scorer at 22.3 points per game. Since Jan. 1, he's been the leading scorer in the East with 24.9 points per game.
Butler boosted his star power by scoring a career-high 53 points at Philadelphia on Jan. 14, as well as breaking Michael Jordan's record for points in a half by scoring 40 at Toronto on Jan. 3. Butler led the Bulls to comeback victories in both games.
Pau Gasol started last year's all-star game, famously jumping center against his brother Marc to start the festivities. He finished the game with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Now 35, Gasol's numbers have dipped slightly, to 16.6 points and 10.9 rebounds. If an injury replacement is needed for an East big man, Gasol might have a good chance to be selected. Gasol has played in five all-star games over his career. Last season was his first start.
Derrick Rose has played in three all-star games, starting twice. He wasn't much of an all-star contender this year, but he has been much better lately. Rose is averaging 18.4 points and shooting 45.9 percent since Christmas.
The Western Conference reserves include Golden State's Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge, Houston's James Harden, Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins, the Clippers' Chris Paul and New Orleans' Anthony Davis.
The East starters are Cleveland's LeBron James, Toronto's Kyle Lowry, New York's Carmelo Anthony, Miami's Dwyane Wade and Indiana's Paul George.
The West starters are Golden State's Steph Curry, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, the Lakers' Kobe Bryant and San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard.
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