Jimmy Butler returned on Saturday after missing two weeks with a sprained left thumb. A bit of a surprise return at that, which was just what the Bulls needed after Derrick Rose was out after spraining his ankle in the second quarter of their Friday tilt against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Taj Gibson also missed the game with a sprained ankle suffered in the same game, leaving the Bulls a bit thin. Nearly every starter notched more than 30 minutes. Jimmy Butler, Tom Thibodeau’s workhorse, played nearly 40 minutes, which led the entire team in his regular season debut.
In a game that went right down to the wire, it was Butler hitting two clutch free throws that sealed the victory for the visiting Bulls. After Kevin Martin nailed a go-ahead-three with 2.9 seconds remaining, the Wolves took the 105-104 lead.
The play was designed for Butler, who took the first overall pick in this year’s draft Andrew Wiggins off the dribble. Butler pump faked and Wiggins bit hard, drawing the shooting foul with 0.2 seconds left in the game. He nailed two clutch free throws that gave the Bulls the 106-105 lead, and eventually the victory. The fourth-year man out of Marquette finished with 24 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, going 6-12 from the floor and 11-15 from the charity stripe.
Sam Smith from Bulls.com had this from Jimmy Butler after the Bulls nail-biting victory:
“What a way to kick off the season,” said Butler of his first appearance. “I’m happy we got the W. They are hard to come by. On to the next one.
“I knew that he didn’t know how much time was up there and if he blocked it the game was over,” Butler said about the his drive-slip-shot fake against rookie Andrew Wiggins that earned the two decisive free throws. “I looked up on my way up after I fell and saw (Wiggins going up). So I said that I’m going to get him.”
Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson, the latter of which seems to be more serious, are both questionable for Tuesday’s game when they host the winless Orlando Magic.
Here’s some other news around the NBA:
EMMANUEL MUDIAY MAKES PRO DEBUT IN CHINA
Dallas native and high school phenom Emmanuel Mudiay made his professional debut in the China Basketball Association on Saturday. The talented point guard, who’s just 18, made the decision to skip playing college ball and go pro in China on a contract that is worth just over a million dollars.
Mudiay, who also signed a contract with Under Armour, had a rough start to his professional debut. He settled down and seemed to gain confidence, finishing with 18 points and five boards on 6-19 shooting. The stats and video below are courtesy of ONE World Sports.
Mudiay plays for the Guangdong Southern Tigers who faced the Beijing Ducks, led by former Knick Stephon Marbury. His professional debut was spoiled in a loss to the Ducks 103-89. Marbury put up 32 points, with eight rebounds and five assists in 41 minutes of action. Watch the highlights of the former and future NBAers below:
Mudiay is projected as a top-five pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, which he will be eligible for after his one-year contract in China ends.
Stats and video are courtesy of ONE World Sports News Services.