Butler Breaks Record in Bulls Victory, NBA Scores

For one half, Jimmy Butler was better than Michael Jordan. That's all it was, Butler said. One half. Still, it was an amazing run.

Butler broke the Hall of Famer's team record for points in a half, scoring 40 of his 42 after the break to lead the Chicago Bulls over the Toronto Raptors 115-113 on Sunday.

Jordan had 39, also in the second half, in a game against Milwaukee in 1989. Butler shot 14 of 19 in the final two quarters after a 1-for-4 start in the Bulls' fourth straight win.

"Don't compare me to him," Butler said. "I don't want to be compared to him because then people are going to think I got to do what he did. I'm trying, but we're nowhere near the same player."

One of Jordan's teammates was pretty impressed, though.

"What a performance by (at)JimmyButler. You don't see individual efforts like this too often," Scottie Pippen said in a tweet.

Butler's performance came after he got stitches in his mouth. He was accidentally elbowed by DeMarre Carroll in the second quarter after making a basket. He needed one stitch to close the wound and ready him for the second half.

"I was mad but I just came out and was just aggressive," he said.

He scored 21 points in the third quarter, the most the Raptors have given up to an opponent in a single quarter this season, shooting 7 of 9 from the floor and making all seven of his free throw attempts.

Sunday, January 3 Scoreboard

New York 111, Atlanta 97

Chicago 115, Toronto 113

Miami 97, Washington 75    

Portland 112, Denver 106
    
Los Angeles 97, Phoenix 77

Monday, January 4 Schedule (All Times Central)

Toronto at Cleveland, 6 p.m.

Minnesota at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

Boston at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.

Orlando at Detroit, 6:30 p.m.

Indiana at Miami, 6:30 p.m.

San Antonio at Milwaukee, 7 p.m.

Sacramento at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.

Houston at Utah, 8 p.m.

Memphis at Portland, 9 p.m.

Charlotte at Golden State, 9:30 p.m.