Pippen Ain't Easy
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Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers Game Outlook

Nov 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Isaiah Canaan (0) gets a pat on the head from forward Taj Gibson (22) after he was called for traveling in the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Bulls won 118-110. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Isaiah Canaan (0) gets a pat on the head from forward Taj Gibson (22) after he was called for traveling in the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Bulls won 118-110. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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Nov 17, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) reacts to hitting a three-point shot at the first-half buzzer against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 17, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) reacts to hitting a three-point shot at the first-half buzzer against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Jimmy Butler

It’s a recurring theme to be sure. But hey, the man scored 40 points against the Lakers 10 days ago. 40 points. The last Chicago Bull to pull off that feat in LA? Michael Jordan. And this is on the back of Jimmy hitting some 20 point, 5 rebound, 5 assist-type numbers that haven’t been done since Scottie Pippen in the 1994-95 season and that I can’t show you now, sadly, because they are lost somewhere deep in basketball Twitter.

He’s really everything for this team right now and of course he is, because it was only after two kind of bland seasons that I started to think that his body of work evidenced a player that could be a lockdown defender or a high-volume scorer. Surprise, surprise.

I don’t know if Butler has another 40-point game in him this season against anyone, but he’s on a short list of players that have been able to repeat that milestone since the start of last season. Also, he’s shooting more than ever before, but while his field goal attempts have crept up by about one attempt per game each season since 2014-15, it’s his free throws that are really emerging as a big piece of his game.

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Fun stat: Butler is averaging 1.3 more made free throws this season than attempts last season. Again, the last two season he averaged 7.1 free throw attempts per game. He’s averaging 8.4 makes this year.

Everything is looking for Jimmy, and by proxy the entire Bulls team.

But don’t let his impressive scoring stand as everything for you. He’s getting more free throw attempts and scoring more points in Bulls losses this season than in their wins. I guess this is where we have a little blurb about his defense and the teams on/off splits.

When Chicago lost to the Nuggets last week, they started out strong with Butler, at +22, and then imploded without him, going -22 very quickly. It might have something to do with Hoiberg having struggles getting the right bench rotations, but it also has a lot to do with a team that just can’t defended if not for their on-court leader, Jimmy.

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