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 Aided by increased playing time and responsibility, Butler is
becoming a star this season. He showed it showed again Thursday at
the United Center in the Chicago Bulls' 103-97 win against the New
York Knicks.
Butler, the Bulls' leading scorer, poured in a career-high 35 points
and dished out seven assists. He also shot 11-for-21 from the floor
(4-for-7 on 3-pointers), hit nine of 10 free throws and contributed
in five statistical categories.
"All I can say is, 'Thank god for Jimmy Butler,'" Chicago coach Tom
Thibodeau said. "You can't say enough about him. He is just having a
phenomenal year."
Barkley, the star-turned-analyst for TNT, had plenty to say about
Butler during the TV broadcast. He and fellow analyst Reggie Miller
debated Butler's merits for much of the game.
Barkley argued Butler wasn't the kind of star player who could
demand a maximum contract in his pending free agency next summer.
Miller said Butler is a star in the making.
 Despite leading the Bulls to their seventh straight win against the
Knicks in the Windy City, the ever-humble Butler said words
afterward that agreed with Barkley.
"I don't want to be a 'star,'" he said. "I just want to be a decent
role player on a really good team."
He's certainly that, but appears to be growing into much more.
Butler consistently picks up the slack left behind on nights star
Derrick Rose can't play, and this was another one of those nights.
Rose sat out with an unspecified illness and Butler took control.
He scored 17 points in the first half, 18 in the second half and
seven in the fourth quarter, when the Knicks fought hard not to lose
their third game in a row and 13th in the past 14.
Combined with reserve guard Aaron Brooks (18 points) and reserve
rookie forward Nikola Mirotic (13 points), Butler spearheaded a
winning effort in the fourth. It included a 12-0 run during an early
two-minute span to re-capture a lost lead.
"(Butler's) playing extremely well," said Chicago forward Pau Gasol,
who scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds. "He has a lot of
confidence with a lot of aggressiveness. He's asserting himself
every single game (at) both ends of the floor. It's not easy to do,
but he's been outstanding and I'm just proud of him."
Knicks star forward Carmelo Anthony, who shunned Chicago's
free-agent pursuit this past summer, also missed the game. He sat
out because of lingering soreness in his left knee in his first
return trip to the United Center since the Bulls courted him there
on a recruiting visit.
Minus some star power, the game seemed to lack some energy, on the
floor and in the stands. The Knicks used it to their advantage.
Despite falling behind 30-20 after one quarter, New York fought back
in the second frame and continued chipping away in the third.
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Led by guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (23 points) and forward Amar'e
Stoudemire (16 points), the Knicks took a 74-73 lead into the
fourth. Forward Pablo Prigioni hit a jumper to give New York a 77-75
lead with 10:31 left in the game, but the Bulls surged back in front
87-77 with that 12-0 run.
The Knicks countered with a 14-6 run of their own to make it close,
but Chicago sealed it with seven points by Brooks in the final four
minutes.
"As one of the most physical teams in the league, they are tough,"
Knicks guard Jose Calderon (12 points) said. "We didn't make our
shots at the end, but it goes both ways with a lot of guys being
out. The effort was there. We played good ball, but we couldn't
finish."
Center Cole Aldrich added 13 points for New York, which had 10
players score points. The Knicks have lost 13 of their past 14 games
and are off to the worst start in franchise history.
"I'm proud of that effort," New York coach Derek Fisher said. "We
played to win tonight. You have to do that every night, no matter
who is in uniform. We can build on that great effort."
NOTES: Bulls PG Derrick Rose was sick and missed his ninth game of
the season. He didn't travel with the team to Memphis after the game
and is questionable for Friday's game. ... Knicks F Carmelo Anthony
didn't play Thursday because of lingering soreness in his left knee
that's bothered him since the second game of the season. ... Chicago
also played without F Taj Gibson (ankle) and rookie F Doug McDermott
(right knee). ... Bulls C/F Joakim Noah (right ankle) started after
missing the previous four games and grabbed 13 rebounds. ... Knicks
F/C Amar'e Stoudemire was expected to miss the game for a recovery
day, but was a surprise starter. ... New York also played without G
Iman Shumpert (dislocated left shoulder), F/C Andrea Bargnani (right
calf), F Cleanthony Early (right knee) and guard J.R. Smith (plantar
fascia), who didn't make the trip.
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