NBA scores 2017: Jimmy Butler picks up a triple-double in 117-99 win over the Cavaliers

Butler posted 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a win over a short-handed Cleveland team.

Feb 26, 2017, 1:00 PM UTC

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James has strep throat. That’s not the best thing for a Cleveland Cavaliers team already battling injuries. The Cavaliers were short Kevin Love (knee) and J.R. Smith (thumb) when the Chicago Bulls came to town.

Rest assured, the Bulls took care of business

Jimmy Butler picked up his first triple-double of the season, notching 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists as Chicago pulled away from Cleveland, 117-99, on Saturday.

Kyrie Irving gave a valiant effort with a near triple-double of his own — 34 points (13-of-25 shooting), nine rebounds, and seven assists — but the Bulls’ all-around effort, which included seven players scoring in double figures, proved too much for the short-handed Cavaliers to overcome.

Dwyane Wade finished with 20 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field and dished out 10 assists without his best friend, James, on the floor. He was set to record a triple-double alongside Butler, until his teammate, Cristiano Felicio, robbed him of a rebound in the game’s waning seconds.

Without James, Cleveland looked unorganized offensively, relying solely on Irving’s ball-handling and shot-creating to put points on the board.

Kyle Korver scored 14 points on Saturday, shooting 4-of-7 from downtown. In doing so, he passed Jamal Crawford and Vince Carter — both active players — for No. 5 on the NBA’s all-time three-pointers-made leaderboards.

Chicago acquired point guard Cameron Payne in a trade deadline deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He scored six points in 12 minutes in his first game with the Bulls.

Carmelo Anthony hit a game-winner against the 76ers

The last time the Knicks and Sixers played, it was T.J. McConnell who hit a buzzer-beating game-winner in Philadelphia.

Melo wasn’t having that again.

Anthony hit a step-back mid-range jumper with 0.3 seconds left to lift New York to a 110-109 win over Philadelphia on Saturday. A great shot, but the Knicks need to find ways to secure double-digit, fourth-quarter leads.

Paul George doesn’t understand why he got ejected

The Pacers’ All-Star was tossed in the third quarter of the team’s Saturday matchup against the Miami Heat after officials assessed George a double technical foul for arguing a no call.

The Heat went on to bludgeon the Pacers without their star forward, 113-95. George did not feel like he should have been tossed:

Saturday’s top performances

Jimmy Butler: 18 points (7-of-19 shooting, 4-of-6 on threes), 10 rebounds, 10 assists

Butler posted his first triple-double of the season in a big win over a Cavaliers team lacking its four-time MVP.

Kyrie Irving: 34 points (13-of-25 shooting, 2-of-10 on threes), 9 rebounds, 7 assists

Irving did what he could, but the Cavaliers didn’t have enough firepower to match Chicago’s offensive output.

Hassan Whiteside: 22 points (6-of-12 shooting), 17 rebounds

Whiteside was one of three Heat players (Dion Waiters and Goran Dragic) to score 20 or more points in the team’s win over Indiana. He just happened to have double figures in another category, as well.

James Harden: 24 points (6-of-15 shooting, 5-of-11 on threes), 10 assists

Eight different Rockets players scored in double figures much ado to Harden’s ability to slice through the lane and make the right play shortly after.