LOS ANGELES—Jimmy Butler knew what he had to do. He usually does these days.
"Coach," he told Fred Hoiberg before the Chicago Bulls faced the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, "I'm going for 40 tonight."
Butler kept his word, and then some. Less than 24 hours after scoring 22 points and chasing around J.J. Redick in a 102-95 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, he bullied his way to a season-high 40 points, with just one three-point try (which he missed), to propel the Bulls to a 118-110 win at Staples Center while Dwyane Wade rested.