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Featured Matchup: Bulls’ Jimmy Butler vs. Magic’s Victor Oladipo

By Brett David Roberts

Jan 15, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic shooting guard Victor Oladipo (5) drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler (21) defends during the second half at Amway Center. Chicago Bulls defeated the Orlando Magic 128-125 in triple overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; Orlando Magic shooting guard Victor Oladipo (5) drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler (21) defends during the second half at Amway Center. Chicago Bulls defeated the Orlando Magic 128-125 in triple overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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MON JAN 12 @ CHI
Time:  8 PM ET

Featured Matchup:  Shooting Guard:  Jimmy Butler vs. Victor Oladipo

Chicago Bulls Vitals:  26-12 overall (.684); 12-7 at home; 17-6 vs East, plus-4.2 differential, 7-3 last 10 games

The Chicago Bulls have Derrick Rose back in the fold, but the one-time MVP has not been the biggest story in the Windy City.  Shooting guard Jimmy Butler, who turned down a $10 million per year contract extension over the offseason, has made good on his promise to himself to increase his market value dramatically for a signing this summer.

As to whether the Bulls will pay Butler or allow him to walk, is difficult to ascertain. His market value will be sky-high.

The Bulls are currently tied with the Toronto Raptors for the second best record in the East behind the Atlanta Hawks, by 3.5 games.  The Bulls are another team that is tough to match on the glass, averaging 46.1 rebounds per game, third highest mark in the NBA.

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Featured Matchup:  Shooting Guard:  Jimmy Butler vs. Victor Oladipo

This is a matchup of two very good young players whose defensive talents were once the best thing going for them, respectively.

Oladipo asserted himself just as Butler did early in his career, proving his worth as a defender before eventually becoming one of the primary scorers on the roster.

Butler added a tough three-point shot to his already well-rounded game and took to the challenge of leading a Bulls team that lacked scoring ability often last season.

Butler is averaging 21 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.4 blocks/steals per game while posting a PER of 21.7 (second on team behind only Pau Gasol).  He has been compared to Milwaukee Bucks legend Sidney Moncrief as a player whose offensive talents match his first-team defensive efforts.

Butler is capable of giving second-year guard Victor Oladipo fits on both ends of the court, but that likely will not happen — Oladipo has taken it upon himself to get to the basket at every opportunity he has.

Oladipo’s breakneck style of attacking may put Joakim Noah and/or Pau Gasol in foul trouble.  Moreover, one will be assigned the heady task of matching up with Nikola Vucevic.  That alone will wear on the defender, who will likely be Gasol.

Noah will likely play weak side and force a lot of late doubles. Vucevic has had trouble passing out of them, and Tom Thibodeau will make sure his crew knows this.  The Bulls have enough rim protection and interior strength with sixth-man Taj Gibson that it likely won’t matter how aggressive Oladipo gets.  He’s averaging 7.5 free throws per game over the last five contests, but it would take an entire other Victor-caliber guard to cause problems for the Bulls.

The Magic’s best perimeter scoring option is fighting an uphill battle in this one.

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    • But it is not up to Oladipo to make Vucevic nor his other teammates’ lives easier by drawing fouls on Bulls bigs.

    He is going to have to spend enough energy on the defensive end focusing on keeping Butler from breaking open off picks and curls around big men on the block. The Marquette product is a threat to score from everywhere on the court and Victor is slightly undersized to matchup with Butler but has the length to make it possible.

    Butler is rangy, too, and a solid three-inches taller than Oladipo, so it will be difficult for Vic to play against one of the bigger 2-guards in the league at 6’7″.  At one point, Butler was playing small forward, in fact.

    It should make a difference that Elfrid Payton should be able to help some from the weak-side, furthering Oladipo’s chances of keeping Butler from getting a lot of looks at the hole.

    Expect the Bulls to try to exploit the Magic’s lack of rim protection in much the same manner as the Portland Trail Blazers did on Saturday night.

    The Bulls are 11-point favorites in this game according to oddsmakers, and that is going to be about right most likely. The Magic are wrapping up a five-game road trip and will be weary.

    Tobias Harris is listed as questionable and Evan Fournier will still be out of the contest.  There is word that Aaron Gordon will return some time in February, but missing what are essentially three quality rotation players (one being the second-leading scorer) is hard for an already weak team to overcome.

    The team is showing signs of growth, but the Bulls are a tough team and it goes beyond being outmatched at shooting guard, but also into the fact the Bulls are a FAR better coached team with cohesion and a lot of talent on both ends. The Magic only look this way while on runs, to be hyperbolic.