Film Room: How Jimmy Butler Broke Michael Jordan’s Record for Most Points in One Half vs. Toronto
Jimmy Butler led the Chicago Bulls with 42 points, including a franchise-record 40 points in the second half alone on Sunday afternoon against the Toronto Raptors. How did the Bulls star explode to lead the Bulls to their fifth win in the last six games?
Whenever a player sets a franchise record in any professional sport, it’s usually a solid honor.
But, when a player breaks a record set by one of the game’s greatest players, then it become a headline.
That’s exactly what Jimmy Butler did on Sunday afternoon against the Toronto Raptors; scoring a franchise-record 40 points in the second half of the 115-113 victory for the Bulls.
The previous owner of that record? Some guy named Michael Jordan.
(That same guy also pays Butler to wear his brand’s shoes.)
Butler was tremendous after just a two-point performance in the first half, along with suffering a lip laceration on an accidental elbow from Toronto’s DeMarre Carroll. Last year’s most improved player in the NBA missed three of his first four shots, then made 14 of his final 19 shot attempts to lead the Bulls to a come-from-behind win on the road.
How did Butler become hotter than a summer day in Tomball, Texas? Let’s take a look at the film.
This was rare on Sunday
The main reason why DeMarre Carroll was brought to Toronto was to become a legitimate on-ball defender for the Raptors.
This Butler bucket—his first field goal of the huge second half—was basically Butler going right around Carroll and finishing with the right hand.
Why was this rare?
You’ll soon see how Butler’s scoring looked so easy. The pick-and-roll was vital for the Bulls in the second half, specifically with Butler’s scoring output.
Pau Gasol didn’t score 42 points, but he was a big reason why Butler did
Early in the third quarter, the Bulls often looked to pick-and-rolls with Jimmy Butler as the ballhandler and Pau Gasol as the screener.
Carroll was the primary defender on Butler (before his current minute restriction limited how much he guarded Butler) and the Bulls looked to every opportunity they could to get Carroll off of Butler.
On this quick PnR look (with Butler’s point total at 12 for the game), Gasol shows that he’s going to set the screen. Carroll is looking for Gasol, and while Gasol does rub Carroll just a bit, he sees Jonas Valanciunas’ eyes on Butler and quickly rolls to the basket with Carroll in no man’s land and Valanciunas stuck guarding Butler’s drive.
Toronto was forced into a few possessions without Carroll on Butler, but the Bulls still looked to the two-man game of Butler and Gasol. Another example was this jumper on the left wing with Cory Joseph on Butler.
When Toronto went small with a two-point guard lineup and Luis Scola at the center position, the Bulls stuck to their guns, or big gun for that matter. On this Butler banker on the left wing, Kyle Lowry gets screened by Gasol and gives Butler just enough space to drive and get to a comfortable spot on the floor.
(Even when a Gasol screen didn’t work, Butler found a way to score.)
It wasn’t always Gasol setting the screens either.
On this isolated triple by Butler to give him 36 points on the night with 2:37 left in the game and the Bulls down 105-100, Mirotic sets a subtle screen to get Carroll off of Butler like earlier in the game.
Butler then isolated DeMar DeRozan to the top of the key and drilled a huge triple in crunch time.
The biggest bucket of the game
The Bulls had a bit of an issue late in the game at the free throw line, but the shot that gave them the lead for good was seemingly impossible.
Then you realized Jimmy Butler hadn’t hardly missed all day long and wasn’t going to start now.
The Bulls had the right idea.
Before Butler hit the go-ahead three, they screened Carroll twice with Mirotic and Gasol to help free Butler to the right side of the floor.
That was important because Butler is a good shot maker on that side of the floor.
It wasn’t the most ideal shot attempt from Butler, but when a player is that hot from the field, you have to let him take his shot. Butler’s the best option the Bulls have and him making this shot after that kind of a day shouldn’t have been that surprising.
Related Story: Jimmy Butler and Fred Hoiberg's Player-Coach Relationship
A final note: Butler’s post-up conversions
Jimmy Butler’s outburst wasn’t just the pick-and-roll and making 10 of his 11 free throw attempts. When he got going, the Bulls looked to Butler in the post on isolated plays for offense.
Even with DeMarre Carroll hounding him, Butler wouldn’t be denied.
When the Raptors had a small-ball lineup with Lowry on Butler, the Bulls had the advantage.
Plus, when it’s your day … it’s just your day.
Butler doesn’t get the ball in the post much, but when he does, he’s efficient.
Next: Despite Breaking a Record Set By Jordan, Jimmy Butler Doesn't Want MJ Comparisons
Sunday wasn’t the prettiest start for Jimmy Butler. Two points and a busted lip isn’t exactly a stellar stat line. But, star players find ways to get themselves going and the Bulls utilized Butler’s strengths and picked up another win against a relevant name in the NBA this season.