Scoring double digits in a single game is a good output for any NBA player. And seemingly, only the star players or the starters in the team can achieve 30 or more points. However, only an elite set of players can join what is known as the "50-point club."
The most recent player to have joined this prestigious club is Chicago Bulls shooting guard/small forward Jimmy Butler. The two-time NBA All Star dropped 52 points against the lackluster defense of the Charlotte Hornets. This was only a single point shy of his career high of 53 points achieved just over a year ago.
Butler posted his season high points total of 52 together with 12 rebounds, six assists, three steals, and one block last Jan. 2, 2017, Yahoo Sports reported. Butler is only the second player in the Bulls franchise history to score over 50 points in multiple games. This means that his two over 50-point games come second only to Michael Jordan who achieved this feat a whopping 30 times with the Bulls.
Butler has been a large talking point for Bulls fans with some experts arguing that he is the only player keeping the team afloat. It is difficult to say otherwise; however, as Butler basically beat the Hornets by himself. The 27-year old outscored the entire Hornets team by himself in the final moments of the game, 17-11, to secure a 118-111 win for the Bulls.
While people were worried about how the Bulls would perform considering the departure of Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks, Butler had other ideas. Coming in clutch, he delivered a highly memorable performance to bring home the win despite the absences of Dwayne Wade and Rajon Rondo. Butler is only the eighth player this NBA regular season to score 50 points or more in a single game.
One man who has come pretty close to achieving this feat as well as Indiana Pacers' star Paul George. However, he has come up short every time he has come painstakingly near to this feat. A lot of fans and basketball experts are backing George to achieve this feat especially considering that he has post 40 or more points in a single game thrice last season and put in a 41-point performance in the 2016 All-Star Game as well, according to Fox Sports.
Watch the highlights of Jimmy Butler's 52-point performance below: