Jimmy Butler vs. Hornets: Stats, Highlights and Reaction

Jimmy Butler put together his best performance of the season as the Chicago Bulls earned a 118-111 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.

Butler reached the 50-point mark for the second time in his career, but his scoring was only part of an incredible all-around effort that also included 12 rebounds and six assists:

PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	FG	3PT	FT
52	12	6	3	1	15-24	1-4	21-22

According to Jeff Mangurten of WLS 890, the 27-year-old put himself in impressive company with his scoring performance:

Butler was dealing in the first half, scoring 20 points in what was a highly competitive 58-57 battle. The Bulls' official Twitter account captured some of his best moments:

Chicago trailed by as many as eight points in the third quarter before battling back to an 85-82 deficit heading into the fourth.

After a back-and-forth battle leading into the final minutes, Butler eventually took over the game on both ends of the floor. J.A. Adande of ESPN noted the individual effort:

With less than a minute remaining, Butler nailed a clutch jumper to extend the Bulls' lead to five, effectively putting the game out of reach for the Hornets, as the Bulls shared:

He added to his total with key free throws, putting him over the 50-point mark.

Per ESPN Stats & Info, Butler's performance put him in elite company:

Butler raised his season average from 24.6 points per game to 25.3 with the effort and continues to show why he is one of the best players in the NBA. After Butler earned a spot in the All-Star Game in each of the last two years, it would be a shock if he isn't there again during his best individual season.

As for the Bulls, Monday's win ended a two-game losing streak and put them at 17-18 on the season. Still in the playoff race, they will hope more wins are on the way as the year continues.