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NBA Chicago Bulls

Jimmy Butler Establishing Himself As Chicago Bulls’ Most Reliable Player

By @DSchultz89

Jimmy Butler NBA Bulls

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The Chicago Bulls are off to a phenomenal 9-5 start to the season despite not having Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol for a handful of games so far. A lot of credit has rightly been given to the fact that their depth has improved tremendously and that their offense seems much more fluid than it has been in recent seasons.

Jimmy Butler, the team’s starting shooting guard who is currently in his fourth season with the organization, has been nothing but absolutely outstanding to start the year. Butler is currently averaging 20.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.3 APG while shooting 50 percent from the field and 34 percent from behind the three-point line. He is also a superb defender, often credited as one of the best in the league, evidenced by his 1.7 SPG and quick hands.

For a team that has struggled to stay healthy for the last few years, Butler has been their most consistent and reliable player. After not playing much during his rookie season due to coach’s decision, Butler has played in 161 out of a possible 176 games in three years. Not only has he been dependable in terms of playing in games, he has steadily gotten better each season he has been in the league. We are very early into the new season, but so far Butler has to be a huge favorite for the “Most Improved Player” award if he continues to play at an excellent level.

Unfortunately for Rose, you just cannot depend on him anymore due to his injury problems. To get even 75 percent of what he used to be in the games he plays from now on is a home run for these Bulls.

Just like Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs, Butler possesses a complete game of offense and defense and just needs to continue to work on his jump shot as well as his attack to the basket. Also, being that the Bulls are likely to run into the Cleveland Cavaliers at some point in the playoffs, Butler will most certainly be tasked with guarding LeBron James and trying to have the same impact Leonard had when he defended James in the NBA Finals.

For being the No. 30 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Butler has come a long way and is on the verge of being a star in the NBA. You could even make a case that he might be the best player on the Bulls right now. Granted, that might be a little bit of a stretch considering how good both Gasol and Rose are when they are healthy, but one thing is for certain: Butler is tremendously important to this team moving forward and is far and away the player head coach Tom Thibodeau can count on the most to produce each and every game.

Dan Schultz is an NBA sports writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @dschultz89. “Like” him on Facebook and add him on Google.

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