Chicago Bulls swingman Jimmy Butler has a heck of an assignment in front of him. He was his team's leading scorer in the regular season and the first round of the playoffs, and he's almost always asked to guard the opposing team's best perimeter player. In the Bulls' second-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, that player is LeBron James. Butler doesn't seem daunted by this.
From the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson:
Butler on LBJ: "He really is a talented player in this league, but I don't think that intimidates me not to the slightest bit."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) May 4, 2015Butler acknowledged that he'll have to balance his offense with the fact that he's taking on this challenge. Given that Chicago has more scorers and playmakers than it has in recent years, that might be OK. For Butler, though, this is a huge moment. He's already ascended to All-Stardom this season, and he may very well be named the league's Most Improved Player. What can he do on this stage against the best player in the world?
Game 1 is Monday at 7 p.m. ET.
