CHICAGO: Jimmy Butler continued his torrid scoring streak on Monday by tallying 27 points and 11 rebounds as the Chicago Bulls overpowered the first place Toronto Raptors 129-120.
Butler scored a career-high 35 points in a victory over New York on Thursday, then followed it up with a 31-point performance against Memphis.
He didn’t quite reach 30 again, but he did add five blocks and four assists to his totals.
Derrick Rose scored 29 points, Pau Gasol engineered 14 points and nine rebounds and Aaron Brooks came off the bench to score 17 points for the Bulls, who have won six of their last seven NBA contests.
Kyle Lowry finished with 34 points and six rebounds, while Jonas Valanciunas added 20 points and nine rebounds for the Eastern Conference leading Toronto, which had its six-game winning streak snapped.
Chicago pulled away in the fourth quarter by outscoring the Raptors 49-37.
The game was tied 95-95 just prior to the midway point of the fourth before Chicago went on an 18-8 run over the next 4:48.
The Bulls trailed by as much as 12 points earlier in the second-half.
Hawks 105, Mavericks 102
Atlanta point guard Dennis Schroder scored 22 points to lead a balanced attack in the Hawks’ win over the Dallas Mavericks.
The Hawks (20-7) earned their fourth consecutive win and 13th in the past 14 games. Atlanta is in second place in the Eastern Conference.
The Mavericks (20-9) lost despite 13 points and 11 assists from Rajon Rondo who was playing his second game since being acquired in a trade.
Spurs 125, Clippers 118
Tony Parker dropped 26 points on the Los Angeles Clippers, leading the Spurs to a victory that snapped a four-game losing streak.
Parker returned to his spot at point guard, after missing eight of the last nine games with a strained left hamstring, as San Antonio (18-11) earned a season-high output in points and assists with 37. Chris Paul led the Clippers (19-9) with 25 points and nine assists. AGENCIES
