Nick Friedell, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Confidence soars for lighter Jimmy Butler

CHICAGO -- Jimmy Butler's performance during Thursday night's win over the Atlanta Hawks prompted excited cheers from all over the basketball universe.

How big was Butler's 20-point fourth quarter, coupled with a winning 3-pointer at the buzzer? Actor Mark Wahlberg sent Butler a shoutout on Instagram, congratulating him on his late-game heroics. Butler and Wahlberg became friendly after meeting a couple of summers ago while the actor was in town to film a movie.

If Butler, who is averaging 18.6 points a game on 60.4 percent shooting in the preseason, continues playing the way he has, then he's going to catch the attention of even more A-listers on his way up the NBA food chain.

But as Butler continues to make a name for himself as being the best Bull on the floor during this preseason, the question remains: How did he get so much better? Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau believes it starts with Butler getting into even better shape over the summer, losing about 10 pounds.

"It wasn't that he was fat," said Thibodeau of the 6-foot-7 Butler, who is listed at 220 pounds. "It was that he bulked up a little bit. I think he's at a great weight. I think he's in great shape. I think he feels good, and he's put a lot of work into it in preparing for the season."

Aside from the physical condition, the biggest key might be motivation. The deadline for Butler, 25, to sign an extension with the Bulls is Oct. 31. If the two sides do not come to an agreement, then Butler would become a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

Butler says he's not thinking about a new deal, but who wouldn't be thinking about his future in his situation? As he waits for some clarity on the situation, he's doing the best he can to control what he can on the floor.

"My confidence is high, and that's the way you have to play this game," Butler said. "All summer I worked on my game, the biggest thing is just confidence, taking shots I know I can make. I'm really happy on the way that I'm going right now, but I still got to keep going."

His teammates can see the difference in his confidence early on. They know how hard he's worked on his game, especially on his jumper, and they are happy to see him having success.

The big difference in Butler's game right now is that he is getting to the foul line more than ever. He was 12-for-16 from the free throw line, and teammate Derrick Rose noted that Butler plays better when he is looking for contact on the floor.

"He's playing great," Rose said. "His confidence is growing, it's definitely what we need right now. And I'm happy for him."

Will he be able to maintain it over the course of the season? Nobody is sure of that -- but what they know is that Butler has impressed in the preseason.

"He's just a good player, that's what he is," Thibodeau said. "He's going to score in transition. He can score in the post, he can score moving without the ball, cutting, he gets to the free throw line, he can make shots. ... He's an all-around scorer. He'll find different ways to put the ball in the basket."

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