Bulls' Jimmy Butler: Leads Bulls in scoring Thursday

Butler supplied 18 points (5-16 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 7-8 FT), six assists, four rebounds and a steal over 33 minutes in Thursday's 97-81 preseason loss to the Hawks.

Analysis:

Although he scuffled with his shot throughout the night, Butler remained aggressive and a near-perfect performance from the charity stripe helped propel him to a team-best scoring total. The sixth-year pro had an uneven preseason from the field overall, but still put forth double-digit scoring efforts in four of five contests and had the opportunity to acclimate to his new small forward role while playing alongside offseason acquistions Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade. While his scoring opportunities could take a slight hit in the coming campaign due to his new pair of teammates, Butler should see a nice bump in his rebounding numbers while playing at the three.