WATCH: Jimmy Butler nearly matches Michael Jordan with 4th quarter heroics
Butler scored 15 points in the fourth, 23 in the second half, and the Bulls needed every one of them
They're the No. 8 seed, but after one game, the Chicago Bulls are in charge of their first-round series against the Boston Celtics, taking Game 1, 106-102 on Sunday evening.
Chicago outrebounded Boston 53-36 and Bobby Portis stepped up to chip in 19 points, but the main reason the Bulls took Game 1 was because Jimmy Butler took over in crunch time, just as he has all season long. Butler finished with 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists, and, most importantly for Chicago, did most of his work in the second half.
He scored 23 points after halftime, including 15 in the fourth quarter, and sealed the game with two clutch free throws that put the Bulls up four with just 3.3 seconds remaining.
Jimmy Butler's 23 second half points help @chicagobulls take Game 1 on the road! #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/2Cd81lLIjm
— NBA (@NBA) April 17, 2017
As it turns out, Butler's performance in the fourth quarter wasn't only crucial to winning the game for the Bulls, but was historic as well. Like, Michael Jordan-level historic. The 15 fourth-quarter points today for Butler were the most by a Bulls player in the fourth quarter of a road playoff game since MJ dropped 16 in Game 6 of the 1998 Finals, which he ended with his iconic jumper.
Jimmy Butler 15 pts in 4th; most for Bull in Q4 of road playoff win since Michael Jordan's Chicago finale (16, Game 6 98 Finals)@EliasSports pic.twitter.com/rjYSbDO5PD
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 17, 2017
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that when you're doing things no one has done since Michael Jordan, that is...good. I think that's pretty safe to say.
















