Jimmy Butler Scores 29 Points, Lifts Bulls To 104-103 Win Over Celtics

Jimmy Butler sank two free throws with 0.9 seconds left after a questionable foul call on Marcus Smart to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-103 home victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.

Jimmy Butler leads Bulls to 104-103 Win vs Celtics

Butler finished with 29 points and seven assists, as did the Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas. 

The Bulls forward was touched on the right elbow by Smart on a turnaround jumper as the buzzer sounded, drawing a foul. Butler patted his elbow and then walked toward the line while an incredulous Smart danced up the court.

”He got a piece of the elbow,” Butler said. ”People are going to say `Aw, he didn’t foul him,’ but he did. So at the end of the day they made the right call.”

Thomas, unsurprisingly, was upset with the last-minute call on his teammate.

”That’s horrible when it costs you a game you should have won,” he said. “That’s a bad call.”

Butler and Thomas will be Eastern Conference teammates at this Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans.

Following Butler’s free throws, Al Horford air-balled a baseline jumper on Boston’s 37-20) final shot, thus giving Chicago (28-29) their seconds straight win over an Eastern Conference team.

The game also marked the Bulls’ 17th consecutive home victory.

Bobby Portis scored a season-high 19 points for Chicago, who finished 22 for 22 at the line. Robin Lopez contributed 15 points and eight rebounds, and Taj Gibson added 12 points and nine boards.

”It’s big for us. It’s going to propel us to the second half of the season, which our team really needs,” Portis said.

Thomas recorded his 41st straight game with at least 20 points, thus breaking the team record set by John Havlicek during the 1971-72 season. He made two free throws with 1:30 remaining to make it 103-100, although he was blocked by Butler on a layup attempt and missed a jumper down the stretch.

The Celtics, who had won four straight and 11 of 12, were also out-rebounded 51-31. Kelly Olynyk had 17 points and seven boards for Boston, while Terry Rozier scored three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points.

The Bulls were missing guard Dwyane Wade and forward Paul Zipser due to injuries. Wade has been hampered by a bruised right wrist, and awoke Thursday with an illness, while Zipser is dealing with left ankle tendinitis.

The break will give Wade, 35, a few weeks of rest between game.

”It’ll be two full weeks since he had the wrist injury, so again, hopefully we’ll get him back full strength when we return,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said.

Avery Bradley remained out for the Celtics, and rookie forward Jaylen Brown missed his third consecutive game with a right hip strain. Bradley, who is averaging 17.7 points, hasn’t played in a month due to a sore right Achilles.

Bulls guard Rajon Rondo, a former Celtic, rolled his left ankle in the second quarter but returned to the game in the third.

The Celtics next visit the Toronto Raptors on Friday night, when the Bulls host the Phoenix Suns.

CHICAGO, IL – FEBRUARY 16: Jimmy Butler #21 of the Chicago Bulls tries to knock the ball away from Isaiah Thomas #4 of the Boston Celtics at the United Center on February 16, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Celtics 104-103.