March 16--Jimmy Butler sat alone after his media session ended late Monday in Toronto after the Bulls' unlikely victory over the Raptors, checking his phone in full uniform in front of his locker.
But his rabbit ears and playful attitude prompted him to interject himself from across the room into the media session for Doug McDermott, who fielded questions about the impact of Butler's return from injury.
"Don't go talking about me, Dougie!" Butler yelled, jokingly.
Butler places himself at the center of everything these days. Whether it's publicly asking Fred Hoiberg to "coach harder," using his two-way talents to make his second straight All-Star game or hamming up moments for the spotlight's glare, he keeps coming.
And it's just the way he likes it, humble act from Tomball, Texas, or not.
Early in training camp, Butler declared his plans to add leadership to his already-full plate of duties. Then, before stuffing the box score with 13 points on an off-shooting night along with a team-high six assists, five rebounds and two blocks, one of which sealed the triumph over the Raptors, Butler asserted his status anew.
"My team needs me to get us into the playoffs," he said after Monday's morning shootaround.
He's not wrong. For all his occasionally ham-fisted attempts at vocal leadership, he brings it with action at both ends relentlessly. He shrugs off his 5-for-18 night to hustle back, fight through a screen and adhere himself to DeMar DeRozan for the game-saving defensive stop.
Butler has admitted he's not used to being a team leader because as a junior college player and solid if unspectacular starter at Marquette, he never has been one of the best players on his team. That has changed, and so has Butler's leadership style.
The words sometimes need work. The actions, fueled by work, never do.
"He's vocal out there. He challenges all of us defensively. That's huge for us. He's a great voice to have out there," McDermott said. "He's always in the right spot. He can make up for some of our mistakes on defense. Obviously, you have to give him credit for his offense too. But his defense helps us so much."
Butler admitted to being "gassed" in his first game back after missing three and 14 of 15 to his left knee issue. Nevertheless, he played the entire fourth quarter and had the energy and wherewithal to make the defensive play of the season.
"It's very important just to get guys to understand in the fourth quarter, defense is going to win you games," Butler said. "Yeah, you're going to score. They're going to hit tough shots. But if you guard, you stop them (from) scoring. And we'll win."
Butler said he needs to learn to live with his knee being "banged up a little bit" down this stretch run. He's confident he won't miss any more time.
Back at All-Star weekend, which, it should be noted, Butler attended despite being injured to soak it all in, the newly minted max player spoke about the responsibility inherent in such deals.
"Before I had the deal, it was like, 'Aw, Jimmy can have off nights.' Now it's like you can't. My role has grown every year. I like it," he said. "When I play bad, I go home, I pout, I'm like, 'Gosh, I let my team down.' That was the biggest learning curve, knowing you have to produce every night for sure.
"But I go about everything the same way. Wake up, go to work, put in extra time. I just work harder than a lot of people."
kcjohnson@tribpub.com
