CHICAGO (Sporting Alert, Box Score) — Jimmy Butler poured in a career-high 35 points for the Chicago Bulls to hand the New York Knicks another defeat on Thursday night after securing a 103-97 positive result at United Center.
Star men Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose both missed the game.
Butler played a game-high 45 minutes and knock down 4 of his 7 three-point attempts, while dishing out seven assists, five rebounds and four steals in the victory for the Bulls (16-9), which were without All-Star point guard Rose, who sat out because of illness.
It was the third time this season Butler was scoring over 30 points, after putting in 32 performances in the defeats against the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 25 and the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 15.
Pau Gasol finished with 20 points, seven boards and five blocks for Chicago, which rebounded from the 93-86 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.
Tim Hardaway Jr. went 5 of 8 from three-pointers and finished with 23 points to paced the Knicks, which now dropped three straight games and 13 of its last 14.
Amar’e Stoudemire collected 16 points, six rebounds and four blocks for New York.
All-Star forward Anthony did not play on Thursday night for Derek Fish, after revealing that he was being troubled by a sore left ankle.
Aaron Brooks knocked in three 3-pointers to end with 18 points on 5 of 9 shooting from the floor and helped his teammates with five assists off the bench, while Nikola Mirotic added 13 points as well.
Chicago shot 52.2 percent from three point range on 12 of 23 shooting.
The Bulls led 52-45 at halftime, but New York (5-23) took a 74-73 advantage at the end of the third quarter.
However, the hosts started the four quarter on a 14-3 run to take a 77-87 lead with 7:30 left in the game.
New York kept hanging around and only trailed by one-point with 1:06 remaining, but the Bulls scored the last five points of the contest to run away with the win.
Cole Aldrich contributed 13 points and 10 boards and Jose Calderon added 12 in the defeat for New York, which face the Phoenix Suns at home on Saturday.
Chicago will take on an in form Memphis Grizzlies on the road.
