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Bulls at Lakers: 3 Takeaways to Settling the Score

By Megann Horstead

Feb 21, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Louis Williams (23) goes to the basket between Chicago Bulls forward Bobby Portis (5) and forward Taj Gibson (22) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 21, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Louis Williams (23) goes to the basket between Chicago Bulls forward Bobby Portis (5) and forward Taj Gibson (22) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) dribbles the ball past past Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram (14) in the first quarter of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) dribbles the ball past past Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram (14) in the first quarter of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Jimmy Butler

The key to the Bulls win was Butler.

Butler logged his fourth career game with 40-plus points on Sunday when they Bulls met the Lakers.

It appears that he set out to be aggressive from the start in the absence of his teammate Dwyane Wade. Butler continued to find ways to get to the free-throw line in high volumes. To satisfy this aim, he tallied 12 out of 14.

More from Bulls History

Butler also looked to get his teammates involved when Nick Young and the Lakers started to lock in on him. Butler’s attempts to get them going worked in the Bulls favor. By the time the Lakers started sending help to throw off Butler, his teammates would find their strokes as well.

For Canaan, it was a different stroke that propelled him, not Mirotic, to start the third quarter. The Bulls found a more productive option in Canaan to stretch the floor. Butler would defer to him at times. Canaan shot 50 percent from deep in a game where he logged 17 points.

Whereas the Bulls had Butler to lean on for big shots and playmaking ability in critical moments, the Lakers did not have that luxury down the stretch. That made for all the difference at the Staples Center on Sunday.

Apart from Butler, who else made an impact on the game?

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