NEWSLETTER
Every morning I have the same internal debate: joggers or real pants? I make a clear effort to balance it out throughout the week because, as I think we all know, joggers are the front-runner practically every day. As the weather starts to get a bit colder, though, I’m worried mother nature will tip the scales. Slowly but surely, I’ll have less of a desire to go on an afternoon coffee walk, and thus less of a desire to look that much more presentable. I’ll have to exercise some serious willpower over the next couple of weeks to keep things on the right track. Wish me luck.
• Jimmy G. Buckets. Jimmy G. Assists. Jimmy G. Rebounds. Last night, the former-Bulls stud become only the third player in NBA Finals history to drop a 40-point-triple-double. The kid from Marquette outplayed LeBron James and Anthony Davis as he helped turn what felt like an inevitable sweep into a pretty darn interesting series. While the Lakers could still run away with this thing, a 2-1 lead is a whole lot different than 3-0. Bam Adebayo could potentially return by Game 4, giving the Heat a much-needed boost on both sides of the ball. Not to mention, head coach Erik Spoelstra may have figured something out on the defensive end, where the team played far less zone and far more physical. I’m not ready to say the Heat are about to blow our minds with an NBA Finals win for the ages, but they have my attention yet again.
• Bulls fans can cheer for Jimmy Butler. Unfortunately, they can’t claim him.
Guys, I am not a therapist and have no counseling training. So how do I deal with this post-Game 3 text from a very close friend who is a lifelong Bulls fan/Chicago native: "Butler going into the Hall as a Bull!" Do I just let him live with that happy thought if it reassures him?
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) October 5, 2020
• I’m content with the fact that Butler speaks highly of his Chicago days. He credits guys like Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and Luol Deng for molding him into the gritty player he is today. As I wrote previously, there probably isn’t this current version of Butler without his days in Chicago … or Minneapolis … or Philly. His talent and drive has surely been overlooked throughout the years, but I also think they’ve developed with each stop in his career. Each franchise that doubted him just threw more wood onto the fire, and Butler came to Miami engulfed in flames (in an NBA Jam kinda way … not a Bulls dumpster fire kinda way).
• What makes this storyline so frustrating for Bulls fans, though, isn’t necessarily Butler’s success. At least, not in my opinion. What makes Butler’s journey to the NBA Finals so annoying for Chicagoans is that he’s arguably the perfect Bulls player. In fact, he’s more perfect for the Bulls now than he was five years ago. Butler’s confidence, killer-instinct, and endless fight is what Chicago basketball is all about. I couldn’t help but think about this as he repeatedly ate a mouthful of court every time he drove to the hoop or as he body-bumped with LeBron James on defense. Butler isn’t the most athletically gifted basketball player, I think we all know that, but he makes up for it by naturally oozing toughness and competitiveness. Remove some of the showmanship, and the guy’s general mentality is something many from Chicago can relate to. I think it’s why many Bulls fans loved him then, and it’s why many love him now.
• Remember when the Bulls paid Dwyane Wade a ton of money just to plant seeds in Butler’s head that Miami was his true destiny. Ah, the good old days.
Erik Spoelstra explains that Dwyane Wade swore to him and Pat Riley that Jimmy Butler would be the player who could win these games for the Heat, “This is your guy. This is the next guy.” pic.twitter.com/7rFnU2DFPE
— Will Manso (@WillManso) October 5, 2020
• I don’t what a basketball rim ever did to Daniel Gafford, but I’m sure that rim regrets it.
RISE and shine ☀️@AdvocateHealth | @Dan_G33 pic.twitter.com/rrbyKuTF0a
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 5, 2020
• Ben Gordon’s bucket-getting senses were tingling.
Ben Gordon called the Jimmy Butler 40 piece tonight. That’s next level former Bulls connection pic.twitter.com/CeOA8L5DS4
— Tate Frazier (@tatefrazier) October 5, 2020
• IS THIS YOUR KING!?
LeBron walked off the court with 10 seconds left. pic.twitter.com/zTvwZhHDq5
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 5, 2020
