Jimmy Butler thriving in Rose’s absence
What else can be said about Jimmy Butler? He currently leads the Bulls in scoring with 21.5 points per contest, and he is also first on the team in steals (1.5) and minutes played per game (39.8)
While Butler has improved each year since his 2011-12 rookie campaign, no one could predict how well he would play this season. Not only has Butler increased his scoring average by more than eight points per game from a year ago, his shooting percentages have drastically improved from 39.7 %FG/28%3PT to 49%FG/34%3PT.
After pouring in a career-high 35 points against the Knicks on Dec. 18, Butler followed that up with a 31-point, 10-rebound outing against the Grizzlies. And as a result, Butler has now scored at least 20 points 16 times this season after managing to do so just nine times in his first three seasons.
To put this stat in its proper perspective, he is the first Bulls shooting guard to record this many 20-point games since Ben Gordon accomplished the feat 42 times during the 2008-09 season, per ESPN. Based on how he has played so far, it would be surprising if Butler did not earn his first All-Star selection.