Butler Scores 40, Buzzer-Beater Lifts Bulls Over Nets 101-99

CHICAGO (AP) — Jimmy Butler matched his season high with 40 points and hit an 18-footer at the buzzer roughly five minutes after being helped off the court with an apparent injury Wednesday night to give the Chicago Bulls a 101-99 comeback victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Butler scored nine points in the final 2 1/2 minutes to rally Chicago. He finished 11 for 11 from the free throw line and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Bulls overcame a seven-point deficit in the final three minutes for their second consecutive win.

With just more than five minutes left, Butler came down on the foot of Brooklyn guard Randy Foye and had to be helped off the court.

Dwyane Wade had 16 points before leaving early in the fourth quarter with a migraine.

Brook Lopez had 33 points — including a career-high five 3-pointers — as the Nets dropped their 12th straight road game.

Lopez had 19 first-half points to spark Brooklyn to a 49-46 halftime lead. The 7-footer was 4 for 5 on 3-pointers in the first 24 minutes and celebrated by holding up three fingers as he ran down the court following each one.

Brooklyn had a 97-90 lead with just more than two minutes to play and appeared headed for a comfortable win, but Chicago stormed back. Michael Carter-Williams tied the game at 97 with 1:22 left.

It was his first basket since returning Monday from a nearly two-month absence because of injuries to his left knee and wrist. He had missed his first 10 field goal attempts.

Following a Nets turnover, Butler gave the Bulls their first lead of the second half with a 15-footer with 27.7 seconds to go. Lopez, though, tied it with 12.6 seconds left on a dunk over his brother, Robin Lopez.

That set the stage for Butler.

TIP-INS

Nets: There's no timetable yet for how long G Jeremy Lin (strained left hamstring) will be sidelined, but expectations are it'll be a long absence. He missed 17 games earlier in the season with the same injury and has only played in 12 games this season. ... G Joe Harris, who sat out with a hip pointer, is listed as day-to-day.

Bulls: F Doug McDermott returned after missing one game with a left shin injury. That meant all the team's players were healthy for the first time since Oct. 31. "It's good to have your full roster available to play," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "We'll put the lineup out there that gives us the best chance to win."

UP NEXT

Nets: At the Washington Wizards on Friday. The Wizards won the first meeting, 118-113, on Dec. 5 at Brooklyn.

Bulls: At the Indiana Pacers on Friday, four days after a 90-85 win over Indiana at home.

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