Butler looks like a keeper in Bulls OT win
The Bulls may not necessarily be building the team around Jimmy Butler.
But in the first game after the trade deadline, the Phoenix Suns clearly built a defensive game plan around Butler. The Bulls' lone all-star was swarmed by double teams all night at the United Center.
After going 3-for-13 from the field in the first three quarters, Butler delivered when it counted. He hit a 3-pointer to tie the score with 48 seconds left in the fourth quarter, added a go-ahead jumper with 9.1 seconds left and the Bulls eventually won 128-121 in overtime on Friday.
The Bulls caught a break at the end of regulation. Dwyane Wade was whistled for a 3-shot foul against Suns guard Devin Booker with 1.5 seconds on the clock. Booker hit the first 2 free throws to tie the score, then missed the third.
The Bulls (29-29) had one of their best nights of the season from the 3-point line, making 12 of 26 attempts. Wade ended up leading the Bulls with 23 points, while Butler finished with 22, Nikola Mirotic tied a season-high with 20 and Robin Lopez scored 19.
None of the Bulls' new players participated in Friday's game. Point guard Cameron Payne was out with the flu, but sat on the bench in street clothes. Joffrey Lauvergne and Anthony Morrow were in uniform, but did not play.
On Thursday after making the trade sending Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott to Oklahoma City, vice president of basketball operations John Paxson was asked if the Bulls are committed to building around Butler, since they didn't trade him before the deadline.
Paxson answered that they'll build with Butler. At the morning shootaround, Butler took no offense to Paxson's comment.
“No, I don't. No organization is the same,” Butler said. “Everybody operates differently. Everybody has different personnel. I don't care if anybody wants to build around me. Just win. At the end of the day, when you win, everything is fine whether you're built around or not built around. Everybody's happy. All of that is just background noise. I just want to win at all costs.”
The trade opened some new opportunities. Rookie Denzel Valentine didn't start, but made an impact by knocking down his first 5 shots from 3-point range. The sixth attempt was an airball, but Valentine (15 points) helped the Bulls' come back from a 13-point deficit in the third quarter.
Portis took over Gibson's starting spot at power forward and wasn't bad, finishing with 9 points and 7 rebounds.
Michael Carter-Williams started at point guard and didn't play well. In fact, Hoiberg sent Jerian Grant into the game just 1:16 into the third quarter after Carter-Williams badly missed a driving bank shot.
The Bulls took an 89-88 lead on a Mirotic 3-pointer with 8:02 left, then went cold. The Suns went on a 9-0 run and led 102-91 after a Devin Booker 3-pointer with 4:31 remaining.
Bulls scouting report
Bulls scouting report
Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena, 7:30 p.m.
TV: ABC • Radio: WLS 890-AM
Outlook: The Cavs (40-16) seem to have gotten past a rough patch. Thursday's win over New York was their eighth in nine games. PF Kevin Love is out after having arthroscopic knee surgery on Feb. 14. LeBron James is rolling along at 25.7 points, 8.9 assists and 7.8 rebounds. PG Kyrie Irving is averaging 24.4 ppg. Kyle Korver is paying dividends, shooting 63.2 percent from 3-point range in February and 12 of 18 in the last two games. SG J.R. Smith is still out with a broken thumb. The Bulls are 2-0 against the Cavs this season, including a 106-94 win at Cleveland on Jan. 4, and are 5-1 over the past two seasons.
Next: Denver Nuggets at the United Center on Tuesday, 7 p.m.
— Mike McGraw