Court Vision: Bulls drop exhausted Grizzlies behind Butler, Mirotic

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Chicago played like it didn't need a sick Derrick Rose, anyway. The Bulls got a career night from rookie Nikola Mirotic and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 103-97 on Friday night.

1. Is fatigue catching up with tired Grizzlies?

Memphis (21-5) has played six overtime periods, all in three wins, in eight days. Throughout much of Friday's regulation loss to the Bulls (17-9), it looked like the Grizzlies legs were shot.

"I don't think it was fatigue," Grizzlies center Marc Gasol said. "Not making shots, really."

True, Memphis shot less than 40 percent and made only two 3-pointers to Chicago's 10, but that's also Gasol, who doesn't think he or any good team should have a bad night. The Grizzlies beat Charlotte a week earlier in double overtime, won a frenetic comeback in overtime the next night in Philadelphia and beat San Antonio Wednesday night in triple overtime. That's not including an emotional regulation win against Golden State.

Memphis didn't hit its first 3-pointer until Courtney Lee broke the 1 for 6 drought in the third quarter. The effort was lacking, but so has the sleep with an extra 30 minutes of basketball in eight days.

"The minutes have added up on us and it just is what it is," Memphis coach Dave Joerger said.

Joerger pointed out the struggles defensively (without Tony Allen, still out after an eye injury against Golden State) – Memphis gives up 96.4 on average. Added to the Grizzlies shooting only 39.4 percent and Jimmy Butler going for a second straight 30-point outing, as Joerger said, "it is what it is."

Mike Conley scored a team-high 21 for Memphis.

2. Beno Udrih making most of his time

Grizzlies backup point guard Beno Udrih has become a fan favorite, like the backup quarterback everyone wants to see play, not over Mike Conley obviously, but getting his time.

Before leaving the game with a jammed index finger in the fourth quarter, he made the most of his 20 minutes. Udrih scored 15 points on 5 of 8 shooting and made all five of his free throw attempts. In a comeback attempt from 12 down, Udrih played a Joakim Noah pass like a defensive back and took it in to cut the lead to seven. He is averaging seven points in nearly 18 minutes.

Grizzlies forward Jon Leuer said it's nothing new.

"Same Beno," Leuer said. "I played with him in Milwaukee. He just comes in and runs the show. He's going to definitely be aggressive offensively."

Memphis got Udrih off waivers in February. He played in 10 regular season games. He shot 47 percent in 16.4 minutes per game in Memphis' playoff series loss to Oklahoma City. Much has been brought about the championship mindset Tayshaun Prince brought to the table, but Udrih has two as well, with San Antonio.

In July, Memphis signed him to a multi-year deal and with his play and last year's backup Nick Calathes suspended for the first 13 games of the season, Udrih has kept Calathes' seat warm.

3. Butler, Mirotic, who Grizzlies eyed, shined for Bulls

Bulls rookie Nikola Mirotic took advantage of the spotlight. With no Derrick Rose, Doug McDermott or Taj Gibson, Mirotic played 30 minutes and scored a career-high 27 points and had eight rebounds. He made all six of his 3-point attempts and seven of eight from the line. Mirotic was a first-round pick of the Rockets in 2011 and signed with the Bulls in July.

"He's a talented guy," Joerger said. "We've been watching him for a long time. He's a three playing a four and those are tough guys for us to play big." Not may teams could have guarded the 6-foot-10 forward, but Memphis had no answer for Jimmy Butler, either. Butler scored a game-high 31, a night after going for 35 against New York.

Each guy had a huge fourth quarter. Mirotic was 2 for 2 from deep, 4 for 4 from the line, had two rebounds and four points. Butler scored 11 and made all five of his trips to the line.

Noah wasn't surprised by Mirotic. He was a training camp fan.

"He's just such a different weapon, with his ability to spread the floor like that and he's an excellent rebounder," Noah said. "He's really starting to get the defensive system down. He's a great option for us."

Memphis will get a similar test Sunday against Kevin Love in Cleveland.

9 for 26: That's the combined night for Memphis bigs Gasol and Zach Randolph. Gasol had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Randolph eight points and 12 boards in 29 minutes, his second fewest minutes of the season as Memphis went small.

4: Memphis had only four turnovers and forced 11.

"He's only going to get better and better. ... He's never satisfied and I love that about him. He's smart as heck. He loves the game and works like crazy." -- Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau on Nikola Mirotic

"It could have been effects from the last couple games of ours that we had to battle. It is not an excuse." -- Grizzlies guard Vince Carter