CHICAGO — Jimmy Butler didn’t play, but the Chicago Bulls picked up the slack without their leading scorer to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 100-90 Monday night at the United Center.
Pau Gasol led the way for the Bulls (32-30) with his second triple-double of the season. Gasol, 35, finished with 12 points, 17 rebounds (all defensive) and 13 assists to help compensate for the loss of Butler, who had 24 points and 11 rebounds Saturday against the Houston Rockets in his return from a left knee sprain.
Butler’s knee swelled up Sunday after practice, and he was unable to play Monday. E’Twaun Moore started for Butler and finished with 16 points and seven assists, one of six Bulls to score in double figures.
Derrick Rose had 22 points and seven assists, Taj Gibson finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, Mike Dunleavy had 18 points, and Nikola Mirotic added 14 points off the bench for Chicago, which won its second game in a row.
Jabari Parker, a second-year player from Chicago, had 18 points and 11 rebounds for Milwaukee (26-38). The Bucks got double-figure scoring from Jerryd Bayless (20 points), Khris Middleton (18 points), Greg Monroe (11 points and 14 rebounds) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (12 points and 10 assists).
Along with Butler’s absence, the Bulls lost reserve guard Aaron Brooks and rookie forward Bobby Portis in the third quarter to injuries. Brooks was dealing with right patellar tendinitis, while Portis was knocked from the game when Parker’s elbow hit him in the left eye.
Milwaukee trailed 73-69 starting the fourth and closed within one possession on three separate occasions. The Bucks were unable to tie the game, and the Bulls regained control in the final three minutes to ensure the win.
Chicago outscored Milwaukee 10-4 in the final 3:32 of the second quarter to take a 47-40 lead into halftime. Capitalizing on the Bucks’ poor shooting in the first half (17-of-48, 35.4 percent), the Bulls built a 31-18 lead two minutes into the quarter.
Milwaukee battled back to within 37-36 after an 18-6 run sparked by Monroe, Parker and Bayless, but Chicago held off the charge.
In the first, Chicago took a 25-16 lead by holding the Bucks to 8-of-25 shooting (32 percent) from the field and countering a 10-0 Milwaukee run with a 10-0 run of their own. The Bulls outscored Milwaukee 15-6 in the final 7:21 of the quarter.
NOTES: Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg on G Jimmy Butler’s left knee: “There’s concern. Jimmy’s a warrior. He’s going to try to play through anything. He developed swelling around that knee, and he’s got a lot of soreness in there. It’s just too early to tell how long this one will be.” Hoiberg said Butler’s back also is sore. … The Bucks announced Monday that G Michael Carter-Williams will undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left hip and will miss the rest of the season. Carter-Williams missed the previous four games with left knee patellar tendinitis and hip soreness. “Mike being young enough, he’s going to bounce back stronger from this surgery,” coach Jason Kidd said. … Bucks F/C John Henson (sore lower back) missed his 17th game, but he is showing progress. Kidd said Henson recently played three-on-three and will be reassessed in Milwaukee on Tuesday or Wednesday.