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 But with the game on the line in the final seconds, Butler stopped
worrying about himself and focused on what he needed to do for his
team. Butler aggressively defended Pacers forward Paul George and
blocked George's game-winning shot attempt at the free-throw line as
time expired, giving the Bulls a 96-95 victory at the United Center.
"Truthfully, it really doesn't matter," Butler said of his foul
trouble prior to the game's final play. "I had the task of guarding
him with five fouls or only one foul. You can't let him get a
bucket. If I foul, I foul, but good thing I didn't."
George was a major reason why the Pacers (6-5) were even in the
game, but he still put the defeat on himself. The Pacers had a
three-game winning streak snapped.
"I have confidence in myself that this is the level I should be
playing at regardless against which team or who is guarding me,"
George said. "It is my job to help this team to a win. I failed
tonight."
George scored seven points in the fourth quarter and finished with a
game-high 26 points. He has scored 25-plus points in his last seven
games.
The Bulls (7-3) were led by their own star, point guard Derrick
Rose, for much of the game. Rose had his best shooting performance
of the season. He was 9 of 18 from the field and scored a team-high
23 points. He also had six assists.
Rose's evening was cut short when he suffered a left ankle sprain in
the fourth quarter. He was removed from the game with just under six
minutes remaining and did not return.
Rose wasn't concerned his ankle injury was serious. He did have a
noticeable limp as he walked around the locker room.
"Right after the game, of course, my ankle is a little bit sore,"
Rose said. "Just happy nothing's torn or broken, so I'll be all
right."
The Bulls scored the game's first basket and never trailed. They led
by as many as 15 points, but the Pacers did tie the game at 93-93.
Butler scored to give the Bulls a 96-93 lead with 1:23 remaining.
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Pacers guard Monta Ellis pulled his team within a point with 45
seconds left. Neither team scored on the game's final two
possessions.
Pacers coach Frank Vogel was proud of his team's effort.
"We were down the whole game," Vogel said. "We were fighting and
scratching all night to get back in it. I was proud of our resolve
and we gave ourselves a chance to win at the end."
Ellis tallied 20 points and guard C.J. Miles added 19 points for the
Pacers.
Butler (17 points) and forward Doug McDermott (11 points) also
finished in double figures for the Bulls.
NOTES: Pacers C Myles Turner is expected to miss six weeks after
undergoing successful surgery to repair a chip fracture in his left
thumb on Monday afternoon. He suffered the injury against the Boston
Celtics on Wednesday. ... G George Hill (upper respiratory
infection) and G Rodney Stuckey (sprained right ankle) were
unavailable for the Pacers. ... Bulls F Mike Dunleavy missed his
10th consecutive game due to a back injury. ... F Tony Snell
replaced F Doug McDermott in the Bulls' startling lineup. McDermott
had started the previous four games for the Bulls. "Just kind of
mixing our lineups up a little bit again, just trying to find the
best five guys to go out there and get us off to a good start,"
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said.
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