Before he strained his left knee against the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 5, Jimmy Butler led the Bulls in scoring with 22.4 points per game on 45.8 percent from the field. Although these statistics suggest that he has been an integral part of the success of the offense this season, advanced statistics show that his scoring numbers are slightly misleading. Butler has hurt the Bulls offensively because of his shot selection.
According to NBA.com player tracking stats, Jimmy Butler has attempted 285 mid-range shots this season. Mid-range jumpers have accounted for 36.5 percent of his total shot selection, and, ironically, he is shooting 36.5 percent on these mid-range attempts. Almost 60 percent (59.6 percent) of his points on mid-range jumpers were unassisted.
Butler has relied too heavily on mid-range jumpers this season and it has hurt the Chicago Bulls offensively.
The Bulls offense has fared slightly better in terms of offensive rating with Butler off the court which suggests that he has done something to hurt the Bulls offensively despite his impressive scoring numbers.
According to NBA.com, the Bulls offensive rating with Butler on the court is 101.3 points per 100 possession and when he is off the court the number rises slightly to 101.8 points per 100 possessions.
Why does this team play better offensively without its statistically best scorer on the floor? The answer is simple: Butler’s reliance on mid-range jumpers runs counter to what head coach Fred Hoiberg has tried to implement offensively.