Mavericks at Bulls
Jimmy Butler's career-best 53-point outing saved Chicago against lowly
Philadelphia and the Bulls hope he has more in the arsenal when they
host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Butler also had 10 rebounds and six
assists in a superb effort as Chicago rallied from a 24-point deficit
to post a 115-111 overtime victory over the 76ers on Thursday.
Butler is just the fourth different Bulls' player to score 50 or more points in a regular-season game — joining Hall of Famer Michael Jordan (30 times), Jamal Crawford (2004) and Hall of Famer Chet Walker (1972). His stellar performance was timely with both point guard Derrick Rose (knee) and center Pau Gasol (shoulder, Achilles) sidelined with injuries, and Rose also might sit out against the Mavericks. Dallas was routed 108-89 by the Oklahoma City Thunder in Wednesday's opener of a three-game road trip as coach Rick Carlisle opted to rest his starting five — center Zaza Pachulia with a sore Achilles and healthy starters Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons, Wesley Matthews and Deron Williams. "Obviously, if you left it up to the players, we'd all be playing," Nowitzki told reporters. "They didn't make it up for discussion, so we'll just have to suck it up and trust the coach that he knows what he’s doing."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), WGN (Chicago)
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (22-18): Matthews, who has played all 82 regular-season games three times during his career, was irate over Carlisle's decision to hold him out against the Thunder. Matthews said he unleashed profanity and wanted to challenge Carlisle but was intercepted by assistant coach Jamahl Mosley. "I'll say this about our guys: They always want to play. They really do," Carlisle told reporters. "Wes Matthews, he's difficult when it comes to this stuff. He and I have been close to a couple of fistfights, but hey, that's all right. I like guys that are battlers, but we have a big picture to consider here."
ABOUT THE BULLS (23-15): Butler downplayed his huge game but coach Fred Hoiberg was delivering compliments in rapid fashion. "That's as good of a performance as I've seen," Hoiberg told reporters. "The guys hopped on his shoulders and he carried us home. Play after play, it was an unbelievable performance." Butler is averaging 41.5 points, nine rebounds and six assists in the last two games while raising his scoring average to 23.1 as he makes a run at earning his second consecutive All-Star invitation.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. G J.J. Barea was 7-of-8 from 3-point range and scored 26 points as the Mavericks posted a 118-111 home win over the Bulls on Dec. 26.
2. Chicago C Joakim Noah made his first start of the season against Philadelphia and had 16 rebounds and matched his season best of eight assists.
3. Dallas PG Raymond Felton is 9-of-29 shooting during the past four games.