Bulls' Butler ready to get back to work
After returning from all-star weekend in New York, Bulls guard Jimmy Butler can't just slip back into his, “I'm just a humble guy from Tomball, Texas” routine and make it believable.
He's also on the Midwest regional cover of Sports Illustrated this week, by the way. So he carried a higher profile into Wednesday's post-break practice at the Advocate Center. He tried to stick with the familiar story line, though.
“(I learned) there are a lot of good players and great scorers in this league,” Butler said of all-star weekend. “And that New York is crazy when there's so much stuff going on.”
Appearing in his first All-Star Game on Sunday, Butler played just nine minutes, fewest on the East squad. But that was mostly because he was nursing a right-shoulder strain heading into the break. Butler finished with 6 points and 2 steals.
He was chosen to take part in the skills challenge Saturday but pulled out because of the injury.
“(The highlight was) probably just seeing my name on the back of an all-star jersey along with all the great players in the league,” Butler said. “I think that was the defining moment.”
When Joakim Noah went to the All-Star Game the past two years, he worried that it might be awkward to buddy up to new teammates like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, who are bitter rivals during the real season. Butler could be in a similar predicament since he guards most all-stars from other teams.
“It was cool. They have a lot of respect for guys who play hard like me and Jo,” Butler said. “They said all great things about myself and about Jo, so you get a lot of respect around this league for playing hard, being an energy guy and doing all the little things.”
Butler practiced Wednesday, so the extra rest from all-star break helped his shoulder. He expects to play Friday when the Bulls resume the regular season against Detroit at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
“He was great. He looked really good,” coach Tom Thibodeau said of Butler's practice session. “He did everything in practice, scrimmaged well, was attacking. So he looks good.”
The Bulls have 28 games left and no shortage of goals for the final push. They need to keep the momentum of a four-game winning streak before the break and be more consistent, particularly on defense.
Butler put that last part on the shoulders of the two guys who made last year's all-defensive team: Noah and himself.
“I'm not saying it's not on everybody else,” he said. “But me and Jo, we're the ones that have to kick-start it, get it going early.”
The Bulls are 13-3 this season when using their primary starting lineup of Butler, Noah, Derrick Rose, Mike Dunleavy and Pau Gasol. Rose had travel issues and was not at Wednesday's practice, but it appears the Bulls will be at full strength Friday against the Pistons.
“Right now, we hopefully have an opportunity to move forward with everyone,” Thibodeau said. “What that allows you to do is improve in all areas and build continuity.”
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