Butler's Career High Leads Bulls To Win, NBA Roundup

Jimmy Butler was simply following orders from Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. He kept shooting and the ball kept going in.

Butler set a playoff career high for the second straight game with 31 points, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Milwaukee Bucks 91-82 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round series. After scoring 25 points in Game 1, Butler trumped that with another terrific performance. He was at his best down the stretch, scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter.

"Jo, Derrick were telling me to score the ball -- literally telling me to shoot and not to pass up any shots," Butler said. "I was feeling it a little bit so I just put the ball in the basket."

Butler hit 4 of 5 shots in the fourth and all three 3-pointers after missing his first six from long range. Rose scored all of his 15 points in the second half after dominating in the series opener.

Warriors 97, Pelicans 87

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr likes to say his team teeters on "explosive and careless" basketball, pulling off an astonishing play one moment and a perplexing one the next. Kerr saw both extremes Monday night. And the better half was just good enough to defend home court.

Klay Thompson scored 26 points, Stephen Curry had 22 points and six assists, and the Warriors regrouped from an early deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 97-87 and take a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Tuesday, April 21 Schedule (All Times Central)

Boston at Cleveland, 6 p.m.

Washington at Toronto, 7 p.m.

Dallas at Houston, 8:30 p.m.