Chicago Bulls Butler admits being moody

Watching Jimmy Butler clown around in scoreboard videos or make the rounds on reality television, he seems to be a competent communicator.

Butler told a different story after rallying the Chicago Bulls to an overtime victory over Indiana on Wednesday.

A question about Butler's relationship with coach Fred Hoiberg led to a self-assessment of what it's like to coach the team's top scorer and best defender.

"I think we're both learning a lot about each other," Butler said. "He's probably learning how moody I am on a daily basis, to tell you the truth. It's hard, but I think he lets me be who I am. He handles everything that I do very well.

"I'm not a big communicator. I'm not great at it. But he's always talking to me. He's always asking, 'How are you doing? What can we do?' He's always asking me my opinion on a lot of things. It helped a lot."

Now that Butler is an NBA all-star, it's easy to forget he grew up in tough circumstances in Tomball, Texas, left to fend for himself as a young teenager moving from home to home. Even while he's succeeded in basketball and has plans to be a leader for the Bulls, his confidence can still waver.

"There's always something going on in my head. That's what it is," Butler said. "I could come in a happy-go-lucky guy. But when something's bothering me, I don't got no energy and you can really tell. (Hoiberg) is always like, 'Do you want to sit down and talk?'

"Whether it's him or it's (assistants) Jim Boylen, it's Charlie (Henry), it's Randy (Brown) - they're checking in on me. That's a lot of love. It's very important to me."

Butler lost his father figure when the coaching staff changed after last season and Adrian Griffin took a new job in Orlando working with Scott Skiles. But the relationship didn't end when Griffin moved.

"I still talk to Griff," Butler said. "Griff knows everything that's going on in my head. I can't get enough phone calls and text messages from him, asking 'Hey, what's going on? I can tell ...' That's my guy. I miss Griff, but he's in a great position right now."

Against the Pacers, Butler got off to a slow start. He had 5 points at halftime, but finished with 28. He scored the Bulls' last 7 points in regulation, then tipped in the game-winner off a lob pass from Pau Gasol with 1.2 seconds left in overtime.

"It's not easy to guard a guy like Paul George, who's having a tremendous season, and still be as effective as Jimmy was offensively," Gasol said.

George finished with 19 points, five below his season average. Butler finished the game with a good defensive play, deflecting an alley-oop pass intended for George.

"Paul George is one of the best wing defenders, if not the best wing defender, in the league," Hoiberg said. "For Jimmy to get aggressive and find a way to get by him and then finish over length at the rim (was impressive)."

After losing to New York on Dec. 19, Butler created some controversy by suggesting Hoiberg needs to coach the team harder. Two days later, the Bulls lost at home to Brooklyn. But now they've won three of the last four, with a rematch against the Knicks at the United Center on Friday.

"I think we have put together now four games in a row where we competed from the beginning to the end," Gasol said. "That's a very good sign."

Butler doesn't think his comments had anything to do with bringing the Bulls closer as a team.

"We're always close. We're always looking out for each other," he said. "I don't think what happened last week has anything to do with it. We've always got each others' best interest at heart. We always want each other to succeed. On top of everything else, everybody in here wants to win for one another. We're only going to move closer."

Get the latest Bulls news via Twitter by following @McGrawDHBulls.

Bulls scouting report

Bulls vs. New York Knicks at the United Center, 7 tonight

TV: Comcast SportsNet

Radio: ESPN 1000-AM

Outlook: The Bulls barely competed in a 107-91 loss at New York on Dec. 19, the day after a four-overtime loss to Detroit. Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks that night with 27 points and is averaging 21.9 points on the season. Seven-foot-3 rookie sensation Kristaps Prozingis is contributing 13.2 points and 8 rebounds, while SG Arron Afflalo is at 13.1 ppg. The Bulls have won eight straight against the Knicks in Chicago. New York (15-18) snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Detroit on Tuesday.

Next: Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre on Sunday, 2:30 p.m.

- Mike McGraw