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 Chicago got a boost on Saturday from the return of All-Star guard
Jimmy Butler and picked up a 108-100 win over the Houston Rockets,
but he was out again on Monday as the Bulls worked their way around
the Milwaukee Bucks. Butler sat out a month with a left knee injury
and found that same knee swollen on Sunday after going for 24
points, 11 rebounds and six assists in his return against the
Rockets. Chicago could use Butler on the defensive end to help out
against Spurs All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard, who scored 15 points
in 25 minutes on Tuesday as San Antonio bounced back from a rare
loss by crushing the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-91 to close out the
two-game road trip at 1-1. The Spurs gave veterans Tim Duncan, Manu
Ginobili and Tony Parker the night off against the Timberwolves and
expect to have all three back on Thursday as they attempt to improve
to 31-0 at home.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE BULLS (32-30): Chicago went 3-8 in the 11 games Butler sat
out after leaving a game at Denver on Feb. 5 on a stretcher due to
the knee injury, and the team is making sure everything is secure
before putting him back on the court. “Unfortunately what happens
sometimes in these situations is he got a little bit of swelling in
it,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg explained to reporters. “Again, feels
much better (Tuesday). It doesn't look like there's anything
structurally wrong with the knee and we'll see how he is these next
couple days leading into Thursday." Pau Gasol picked up the slack
against the Bucks on Monday while collecting 12 points, 17 rebounds,
13 assists and five blocks in the 100-90 win.
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ABOUT THE SPURS (54-10): San Antonio played 11 of its last 13 games
on the road and finally gets a stretch of games in its own building,
though the opposition won’t be easy. The Spurs will face five
winning teams on the five-game homestand, including the Oklahoma
City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors.
All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge will help Leonard guide the team
through that stretch and has scored at least 23 points in each of
his last five games, including 29 on 11-of-13 shooting on Tuesday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bulls F Mike Dunleavy is 10-of-17 from 3-point range in the last
four games.
2. Parker (toe) is 4-of-17 from the floor in his last three games.
3. Butler scored 14 points in Chicago’s 92-89 home win over San
Antonio on Nov. 30.
PREDICTION: Spurs 105, Bulls 90
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