Jan. 23--Jimmy Butler missed the Bulls' Friday morning shootaround with an illness, but coach Fred Hoiberg said the team's leading scorer will start against the Celtics.
"He's not feeling great so we'll have to monitor how he's feeling," Hoiberg said.
Butler has a friendly wager with one of his personal trainers to play in all 82 games.
As for next month's exhibition that is the NBA All-Star game, both Hoiberg and Derrick Rose said Butler is deserving of his second straight appearance. Starters were announced Thursday night. Butler finished fourth in Eastern Conference backcourt voting, while Pau Gasol missed by 360 votes to make his second straight start in the frontcourt.
"I think he deserves to go man, period," Rose said of Butler. "He's been balling. As far as us having one of the top teams in the East, he held us up so far. So I think he deserves it. But it's not my say."
Rose, who finished seventh in fan voting, hasn't appeared in the game since 2012, the last of three straight appearances.
"Nah, not at all," Rose said, when asked if he feels he deserves a coach's reserve selection. "Just the year. I've missed too many games."
But Rose did take exception to a question whether he's still an impactful player.
"You can't see it? What you want me to say it?" Rose said, smiling. "You can't see it when I'm out there? I hope so. Whenever I step on the floor, I just try to play my heart out. Try to play aggressive and win a game for one and with the team we're on, I have to be more vocal as far as becoming a leader."
