Butler's buzzer-beater lifts Bulls over Nets

[December 29, 2016]  CHICAGO -- Forward Jimmy Butler hit a buzzer-beater from just inside the 3-point line to lift the Chicago Bulls to a 101-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.

Butler stepped back to hit the jump shot over the outstretched arms of Nets forward Bojan Bogdanovic as the buzzer sounded. He pumped his arms as teammates raced to congratulate him.

Butler finished with 40 points to match a season high. Chicago (16-16) erased a seven-point deficit in the final three minutes of the game to earn its second win in a row.

Center Brook Lopez scored 33 points to lead the Nets. Guard Sean Kilpatrick contributed 18 points.

Brooklyn (8-23) lost its 12th straight road game and failed to post back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

Butler took over for the Bulls during the fourth quarter. He drove to the left elbow and hit a jump shot with 27.7 seconds remaining to put Chicago on top 99-97. The Nets evened the score at 99 on a powerful slam dunk by Lopez with 12.6 seconds to go.

Tensions escalated during the fourth quarter as Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic and Nets forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson each received technical fouls with 4:24 to play. Mirotic tried to retrieve the ball from the Nets bench while play was stopped, but Hollis-Jefferson refused to hand over the ball. The two jostled for the ball and exchanged words before teammates intervened.

Randy Foye made a hard-fought layup in the final seconds of the third quarter to put the Nets ahead 78-76 entering the fourth quarter.

Brooklyn established a 49-46 halftime lead after a back-and-forth first half that included seven ties and eight lead changes. The Nets shot 9 of 18 from beyond the arc during the first half and finished the game 13 of 33. Chicago shot 2 of 6 from 3-point range in the first half and finished 3 of 13. 

The Bulls led 23-20 after the first quarter. Lopez drained a trio of 3-pointers in the first five minutes to help Brooklyn build a 15-7 advantage, but Chicago closed the quarter on a 16-5 run.

Bulls guard Dwyane Wade left early in the fourth quarter and did not return because of a migraine. Wade finished with 16 points on 5 of 16 shooting.

NOTES: Nets G Jeremy Lin did not play two days after he strained his left hamstring against the Charlotte Hornets. The same injury caused Lin to miss 17 games earlier this season. He is averaging 13.9 points and 5.8 assists in 12 games. ... Bulls F Doug McDermott was available off the bench after missing one game because of a bruised left shin. The former Creighton standout has missed 11 games this season because of injuries. ... Nets F Bojan Bogdanovic returned to the starting lineup after coming off the bench to score 26 points Monday against the Hornets. ... Nets G Isaiah Whitehead earned his 17th start of the season and his first since Dec. 3. ... Bulls G R.J. Hunter and F Paul Zipser were inactive.

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