BULLS (31-30) 108 ROCKETS (30-32) 100
Butler stellar in his return
Jimmy “Buckets” came up big in his first game back since he strained his knee against the Denver Nuggets. He scored 24 points, grabbed 11 boards and served 6 assists in the Bulls 108-100 victory over the Houston Rockets. “We can be really good whenever we guard,” Butler said. It was a must win for the Bulls as they currently sit in the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.
Pau Gasol had a huge night as well with 28 points 17 rebounds and 6 assists. “It was a good win for us. We’re happy to have Jimmy and Niko back…it made a big difference for our team.” (Nikola Mirotic hit a couple of 3’s in his return from appendectomy issues) Derrick Rose finished with 17 points and 9 assists and was seen going back and forth with Rockets guard Patrick Beverley. “Pat lived at my house a little bit this summer. It’s nothing like that. I’ve been playing against him ever since he was at Marshall…that rivalry goes back to high school. It’s just fun while we’re out there and I guess the refs didn’t know that,” Rose said after he and Beverley were given technical fouls for trash talking.
It was the first time all year the Bulls had their starting lineup of Rose, Butler, Dunleavy, Gibson and Gasol in tact. Health will play an important factor in this last quarter of the season but I think the Bulls have what it takes to make a playoff push and get that 5th or 6th spot. The next game is Monday evening at the United Center v the Milwaukee Bucks at 7pm.
#TheBIGS #SeeRED #RespectTheEthic
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