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| c/o SLAM Online |
Appreciative of the NBA and NBA Philippines allowing this opportunity hear Jimmy's thoughts.
Re: playing against Kawhi Leonard
I mean, he's a great player overall, not just defender. He plays both sides of the ball extremely well and I just think that the amount of work that we both put into it in the summer and every single day, is the reason our careers have taken off the way that they have. I don't compare myself to anybody else, so like, I have to play well against anybody or anybody else. I just kind of go, every night, I have to do whatever it takes for my team to win. No matter my matchup, as long as we win at the end of the night, it's not who's better than who. It's all about the team winning the game.
Re: playing on Christmas and playing against the Spurs, who had just retired Tim Duncan's number
Yeah, I have played every – my team has been playing every time on Christmas day. I think it's an honor for Tim to have his jersey retired. He was a phenomenal player. I've only heard nothing but great things about him on the floor and off the floor. And you know, going into San Antonio on Christmas Day is going to be tough to get a win on the road, but I think we're very capable of doing that. You know, we look forward to games like this. We're going in as the underdogs, which we're just fine with and we just want to play the game that we love. We just want to compete and get another win on Christmas Day.
Re: the so-called post-Olympics bump and being "the Man" in Chicago this season
First off, I think the Olympics was a great experience. Just being around so many great guys and looking and watching the way they went about the game, their routines, how hard they worked when they weren't playing in the actual basketball game and just getting to know them on the personal aspect of it, it was huge. It really taught me a lot. And yes, our team is very different this year than last, but I like the group of guys that we have and I'm fine with the role that I'm in now.
I think it's a learning curve for me every single day, just like it is for everybody else this year. You know, with [Rajon] Rondo and D. [Dwyane] Wade here – which are the two that everybody, you know, majority talks about – they're teaching me so much each and every day. And then you know, I've still got young guys that I have to try to mold and try to teach them what it takes to get on the level of Dwyane Wade, of Rondo and how to win. I think that's my job.
Re: Bulls winning and losing games it shouldn't (cites W's vs CLE, SA, Utah; L's vs MIN and DAL) and doing so without the three-point shot (Bulls = 30th in threes made)
I don't know. I couldn't tell you the reason on why we win some and lose some. Some games, we come out flat, not ready to play. You know, say what you want to say, but I think it happens at times, man. Sometimes you're not making shots. Things aren't going the way you want it to. You put your head down, feel sorry for yourself.
As far as three pointers go, man, I don't pay attention to the statistics. I've never been one to key in on any of that. If you guard, put the ball in the basket, you know, two's, three's, whatever it may be, still win the game. We've proven that we can win games while making one three-pointer throughout the entire game. So you know, for us, it's all about on the defensive end. If we guard the way that we guard on the premier teams like you said earlier, I don't think we'll have a problem beating anybody.
Re: sharing leadership responsibilities with Wade
Yeah. Like I said, there's different ways to lead and to go about it. I think with him, he just knows how to win. He knows what it takes to win a championship. He's done it and he's always, you know, in the gym, taking care of his body. So, you know, myself, the young guys we’re paying attention to it because that's how you get to play as many years as he's played and be the type of player that he's been. It's because he's constantly working every single day, even when he's not on the basketball court.
Re: Trying to improve on his game
To tell you the truth, I don't look at just one thing to improve. I'm not perfect in any aspect of the game as I always say. So I always continue to work on all aspects of my game. I want to be really, really, really good at everything when it comes to being on the basketball court, so the only way to go about that, is continue to work on everything as much and as many chances as you can.
Re: On when to publicly criticize the team if warranted
I think we're all grown men within this locker room, so you know, if you criticize somebody, hopefully they take it for the right way. I don't think the entire time it's great to tell the media, but I mean at times, you know, things happen in the heat of the moment. But I just think – I think everybody wants to do well. I'm never saying that they're doing anything maliciously, but I just think, you know at times, you got to play better.
You got to do your job. You got to play your role, myself included and if you're not doing that, somebody needs to tell you because if nobody does, you don't know that you're doing anything wrong. You thing everything's fine and dandy when it's not and I think that's my job. So what if your feelings get hurt, you know? You're a grown man. Nobody feels sorry for you, so we all got to go out there and do our job.
Re: On his improved play
I just work hard. That's all it is. Countless amount of hours and time in a gym, in a weight room. To gain confidence, your confidence comes from your work. My college coach Buzz Williams always told me and taught me that and I just got phenomenal basketball training and Chris Johnson, my strength and weight guy, we’re constantly put in work, man. So that's where that comes from. My confidence, my talent, the way I've been playing is because every single day, I'm in the gym trying to get better.
Re: On Manu Ginobili's career and legacy
You know, his career speaks for himself as well. Like Tim Duncan, he'll probably have his jersey retired as well. The way that he plays the game is so smooth and he makes everything look easy. I mean -- he does everything so well. Shoot it, attack the rim. He's athletic, he can pass it, and you know, everybody seems to have fun while playing with him. I'd say more than anything, the role he plays is so big in coming off the bench when he knows that he's a starter. But that's not what his team asks from him and he plays that role to a tee. He's a huge part of that success. He's always a big part in the winning.
Re: On the burden of trying to bring a championship to Chicago like MJ in the 1990s
Nope, not at all. No pressure on me and I damn sure would never compare myself to Michael Jordan. So I don't think that's the way to go about anything. I think that I just go one day at a time and see where today gets me and hope that, you know, hope for tomorrow. But as of right now, I can only focus on the task at hand and of course, yes, I want to win a championship here for this city and we're very capable of doing so. But if we look too far ahead, we're going to get lost for right now.
It's not really pressuring and I don't think anybody has to say that. I think I want to lead my own legacy. I want to be known for me winning games, not just being in the same organization as Scottie Pippen, as Michael Jordan, as Dennis Rodman, as all those guys. I have my own legacy and story that I'm trying to write. So, yeah, obviously, the goal, the reason you play this game is to win. So obviously, I would like to do that. But I'm not living in the MJ shadow. I'm trying to be the best version of myself that I can be.
Re: the relationship with Wade
Yeah, he's been amazing. He's been great. You watch the way he goes about everything on and off the floor and it's no question why he is the player he is, why he's been to so many All-Star games, All-NBA teams, all the championships. You just feel it in that presence of him being around. And then you just see the way he is off the floor and what he does in his community, in his city and the way he is with his family and I mean, he's just a great human being.
Everybody knows him for the person and the basketball player that he is, but off the floor, just a human being and the love that he gives to everybody, man. That's what makes Dwayne Wade Dwayne Wade. You know, and then he can flip a switch and be a fierce competitor on the court. It's huge, but he's shown everybody why he is a player, why he's had that career and why he's going to continue to be the phenomenal person he is in the community each and every day.
Jimmy Butler's Chicago Bulls play the San Antonio Spurs on December 26, 6AM. The game will be telecast LIVE on both ABS-CBN S+A AND NBA Premium, immediately after the rematch of last two NBA Finals in the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors at 330AM.
For those who can't wake up that early, the Cavs-Dubs game will be replayed at 9AM on BTV.
As for the other Christmas Day games, NBA Premium will show the Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks LIVE at 1AM and Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City Thunder LIVE at 9AM. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers vs the Los Angeles Clippers will be on BTV LIVE at 1130AM.
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