Charlotte Hornets

Jimmy Butler Becomes Record-Tying Eighth Player To Hit 50-Point Mark This Season

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:28 p.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, Ben Golliver/Sports Illustrated

The Bulls only needed one of their “Three Alphas” to dump the Hornets on Monday night.

With Rajon Rondo benched and Dwyane Wade sitting due to swelling in his knee, Jimmy Butler erupted for a season-high 52 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in a 118-111 home victory.

Chicago’s two-time All-Star hit 15-24 from the field, 1-4 from deep and 21-22 from the free throw line, falling just one point shy of his career high of 53 points.

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Butler became the eighth different player this season to score 50 points, tying the NBA record for most different players to score 50 in the same season (1990 and 2016). He also became the third player since Friday to hit 50 points, joining Boson’s Isaiah Thomas and Houston’s James Harden.

"I was just playing basketball," Butler told reporters. "I just had a groove. Coach [Fred Hoiberg] kept drawing up the same play and [Michael Carter-Williams] kept setting a great screen. ... I just needed to do whatever it takes for the team to win."