Jimmy Butler went for 53 on the Sixers when he wasn’t even supposed to play
Butler had himself an incredible night.
John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
Jimmy Butler wasn't even supposed to play on Thursday, slightly bothered by an ankle injury. Going up against the lowly Philadelphia 76ers, surely Chicago thought they would be fine without him, right? Always a gamer, though, and with a bet and his pride on the line, Butler suited up anyway ... and set a career-high with 53 points.
As it turned out, the Bulls desperately needed every last point. They fell apart in the first half, allowing the Sixers to take their first 20-point lead of the season. The Bulls trailed 50-26 at one point and went into halftime down 62-46. The only positive was Butler, who had 25 points by himself at the intermission.
Slowly but surely, led by Butler’s incredible play and ability to get to the line, the Bulls worked their way back into the game. Butler hit 40 points early in the fourth quarter, with this dunk standing out from Chicago’s leading man.
Butler kept pouring it on, becoming the third player this season to hit the 50-point plateau with the and-one jumper below. Stephen Curry held the previous high this season with 53 points, a figure Butler tied, while James Harden had also scored 50 against Philadelphia earlier in the season.
With the game tied in regulation, Butler only scored two points in overtime. Fortunately, teammate E'Twaun Moore had seven, helping push Chicago past the poor, poor Sixers in a 115-111 win. Butler's 53 came on 15-of-30 shooting, with two 3-pointers and 21-of-25 shooting at the line. He also had 10 rebounds and six assists.
Butler has been Chicago’s best player and a top-five wing in the NBA for a couple years now, but perhaps hasn’t got the recognition that other superstars have. Well, this is the type of performance that will earn him all the attention he appropriately warrants.
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