The Chicago Bulls can lose Derrick Rose. They can soldier on without Nikola Mirotic. They can be just fine without Joakim Noah. They can win without Pau Gasol.
They cannot survive without Jimmy Butler.
On the heels of a gut-rending 115-110 loss to the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center on Friday night, the Bulls may have to find room for survival without their best player.
Butler left the game late in the second quarter after he came crashing down on his right leg at the tail end of a drive toward the basket.