Butler, Rose lead Bulls to 98-85 win over Grizzlies

Statistically, he grades out in the bottom tier of National Basketball Association starting point guards, and that’s not even taking into consideration his $20-million-plus salary this year.

Butler finished with 24 points, Rose scored 19 and the Bulls beat the Memphis Grizzlies 98-85 on Wednesday night. Despite poor shooting, he’s still looked lost in the Fred Hoiberg offense.

“He was great, ” the coach said of Rose. “You could tell on the first possession that he had pop, he had explosiveness”. I saw it in shoot-around [Wednesday] morning.

After recovering from a poor start to the season, the Grizzlies are back struggling going just 4-5 in 9 games in December.

“It was fun to see”. He was getting into the paint, he was finishing. “But he just set the tone for our team with his aggressive drives to the basket”. This team has an identity of playing with intensity and the right energy; that’s been our identity for a while.

Not only have they had to go through the growing pains of a new coach, but multiple lineup changes, several injuries, and now trade rumors.

Andre Drummond has been one of the most impressive big men in the league so far this season.

Bulls center Joakin Noah, who came off the bench with three points, five assists and six rebounds, was pretty impressed with his team’s effort, particularly the leadership Butler and Rose showed.

Then again, Hoiberg has pointed out several times that the roster was not the problem for when the Bulls do have their lulls. “This is what we’re going to do for a while whether there are a thousand different reasons to do it or not to do it, whether it be matchups or how teams are playing”. He just reaffirmed a side of his personality that those close to him have known for years: He’s stubborn and he doesn’t like people telling him what to do on the floor. When they play at their best, it is hard to stop the grinding game that the Grizzlies possess. My game is whatever they give me. “Trying to get them going, trying to put the ball in their hands. Not the way that people want me to play”. McDermott hit a career-high four triples to score 17 as the Bulls hit nine triples to the Grizzlies’ five, albeit on 26 percent shooting.

The Bulls (15-8) have won four straight games, their second four-game winning streak of the season, and trail the Cleveland Cavaliers by a half-game for first place in the Central Division.