Playing through a sore back that should probably have him resting, Chicago’s Jimmy Butler recorded his first career triple-double Saturday against Detroit — 28 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists, plus he threw in three steals and two blocks. Not a bad night’s work. He wasn’t terribly efficient (25 shots, 1-of-7 from three) but no Bull was (outside Aaron Brooks off the bench).
Butler’s best wasn’t enough, and may not be enough to save the Bulls’ playoff chances. With the loss, the Bulls are the nine seed two games back of Indiana and the final playoff berth with just six games to play. Not impossible, but fivethirtyeight.com gives the Bulls just a five percent chance of making the playoffs now.