Bulls' Jimmy Butler now starring as 'The Closer'
Michael Jordan made it look routine, but this is one of the toughest roles in sports: The Closer.
When a game is on the line and everyone in the building knows who's going to get the ball, try to score.
Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler has become very good at it, as evidenced again in the final minute of Sunday's 108-104 victory at Memphis. Butler hit tiebreaking jumpers twice in the final minute, then added a steal with six seconds left to seal the win.
“That's the reason you play the game,” Butler said after the game, according to bulls.com. “When there is a supposed to be little bit of pressure on you, you have to deliver; you have to make some shots, get some stops.
“I think everybody in here wants that, to feel that pressure and deliver. It feels good.”
The Bulls are 5-0 in 2017 when Butler is healthy, defeating four teams currently in playoff position. His “clutch” stats during those games are impressive.
In the final two minutes when the point differential is 5 or fewer, Butler is shooting 60 percent from the field, 6-for-10 this month.
That's easily best in the league, according to nba.com.
Over the full season, Butler ranks third in the league in points scored under the above scenario — final two minutes with the point differential at 5 or fewer. Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and Boston's Isaiah Thomas rank first and second.
With the Bulls playing the second leg of back-to-back games Sunday, Butler was content to sit back and recognize that Doug McDermott had the hot hand. Butler scored 16 points against the Grizzlies, while McDermott poured in a career-high 31.
“In Jimmy's case, it doesn't matter if he's 10-for-10, or 1-for-10,” coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters after the game. “He's going to step up with confidence in that fourth quarter and try to take over the game with supreme confidence.
“That's a great luxury to have is when you have a guy that you know you put the ball in his hands and he can close the game for you.”
Those 2 late baskets against Memphis showed how far Butler has progressed as a clutch scorer.
On the first one, teammate Michael Carter-Williams tried to set a screen but whiffed completely. Grizzlies guard Tony Allen, long one of the league's best defenders, never broke stride as he shadowed Butler toward the wing.
Butler took about three quick steps toward the basket, stopped, went into his step-back move and Allen was nowhere close when Butler launched the shot.
The second time, Butler went in the opposite direction, toward the center of the court. This time, Carter-Williams did get the screen set against Allen.
Memphis point guard Mike Conley stepped over to block Butler's path. But with a quick step to his left, Butler split the defenders and got his 15-footer off before center Marc Gasol could get out to bother the shot.
It's no coincidence that Butler's late-game production has gotten even better since McDermott and Nikola Mirotic started shooting the ball well.
McDermott had a rough week when Butler was sidelined with the illness, but he found his confidence Sunday. He hit 9 of 16 shots overall, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range, and scored 20 points in the second quarter.
“Doug's too good of a shooter to stay in a slump,” Hoiberg said. “He puts too much work in and too much time in. He cares, obviously, and he takes it hard when he doesn't have a good shooting game.
“The thing he does is he lives in the gym trying to get his confidence and his stroke back. So, I give Doug all the credit in the world for hanging with it.”
Hoiberg felt confident Mirotic would be able to play Tuesday against Dallas after missing four games with an illness but felt it might take some time for Mirotic to regain his strength.
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Scouting report
Bulls vs. Dallas Mavericks at the United Center, 7 p.m. Tuesday
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Radio: WLS 890-AM
Outlook: The Bulls hope this game goes better than their last one against Dallas. They lost 107-82 on Dec. 3 when the Mavericks had the league's worst record, Dirk Nowitzki didn't play and Rajon Rondo had an altercation with an assistant coach that night that resulted in a one-game suspension. Nowitzki, 38, has played in 10 of the last 11 games but is averaging 13.5 points on the season, lowest since his rookie year. Former Warriors SF Harrison Barnes is the top scorer at 20.7 ppg, followed by SG Wesley Matthews (15.2) and PG Deron Williams (14.0). C Andrew Bogut is out with a hamstring injury. Dallas (13-27) is last in the league in scoring (95.6 ppg) and rebounds. The Bulls have lost three straight against the Mavs.
Next: Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena, 7 p.m. Friday
— Mike McGraw