Bulls' Butler on bereavement leave, won't play Saturday

Chicago Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler will not play Saturday against the Boston Celtics. 

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau announced after morning shootaround that Butler is taking bereavement leave, reserved for when a player has had a death or incident in the family or with friends. Such issues are usually day-to-day.

The Bulls are in the midst of a five-game homestand, with the Rockets and Jazz  to follow Monday and Wednesday. Butler is Chicago's leading scorer at 21.9 points per game.

With Mike Dunleavy now on the shelf with an ankle injury, Thibodeau finds himself in some familiar territory with an undermanned squad, at least against the Celtics. When asked his starting lineup for Saturday's game, he replied he'd like to have five players.