Oklahoma City Thunder

Westbrook, Butler matchup figures to take over Thunder-Bulls clash (Jan 8, 2017)

Published Jan. 8, 2017 6:39 p.m. ET

In terms of matchups, it's a good time for Russell Westbrook to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder into Chicago to play the Bulls.

Westbrook, one of the favorites to win the NBA's MVP race, will go head-to-head with scorching-hot Bulls guard Jimmy Butler, whose recent play could vault him into the MVP conversation.

Westbrook is coming off his 17th triple-double of the season in the Thunder's 121-106 victory against the Denver Nuggets. Butler comes into Monday's game against the Thunder after a 42-point performance Saturday at the United Center in the Bulls' 123-118 overtime win against the Toronto Raptors.

"You can see it," Bulls guard Dwyane Wade told CSNChicago.com of Butler. "He wants it. So many guys have talent. The mentality it takes, even if you're having a bad game -- like (in) Cleveland, he wasn't shooting well -- to still be able to do it in the clutch. That's special. He's putting himself in the category of special."

Westbrook is already there and has been the past couple seasons. His play hasn't dipped any, but Butler is elevating himself. If he keeps it up, his name will become more than just a throw-in as an MVP candidate.

Butler is playing like the franchise player the Bulls hoped would flourish when they traded Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks in the offseason. He's the odds-on favorite to win the league's Player of the Week award after averaging 38 points, 9.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the Bulls' three games last week, and is playing like an MVP.

He just doesn't want to get too caught up in that discussion.

"I don't know about all that," Butler said, according to CSNChicago. "Take that one step at a time. All that's way down the road from here. We have to continue to win for that to ever be a question."

On that front, the Bulls (19-18) are looking for their fourth straight win after sweeping three games last week, including a 106-94 win at the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.

Oklahoma City (22-16) hopes to start a win streak of its own.

The Thunder's win against Denver ended a three-game losing skid, but things are looking up after Westbrook's latest triple-double and the return of reserve guard Cameron Payne from a broken bone in his foot.

Payne made his season debut against Denver with eight points, two rebounds and an assist on 3-of-4 shooting -- including 2-of-3 from the 3-point line. His presence should be a welcome relief to Westbrook, who's been shouldering most of the scoring load.

Westbrook's been hot from long-range of late, hitting 15-of-23 (65.2 percent) from the 3-point line the past two games, but that success rate is unsustainable over time.

"When he gets a couple in a row, I think you have to let him take a couple more that may be highly contested or difficult, because he can make them," Thunder coach Billy Donovan told The Oklahoman. "If he misses a couple, then it becomes the balance of 'OK, what do I need to do now?'"