825: Torture King Jimmy Butler

Since last season, Link had never dared take Butler's defense lightly. So even though this was only a one-on-one matchup in practice, Link still took it very seriously.

After all, Butler had made the All-Defensive Second Team last season.

Last season, Butler had essentially taken over Tony Allen's role. While excelling defensively, he also possessed offensive abilities that Teacher Tony lacked. Though the two often rotated in and out, Butler's playing time had already surpassed Tony Allen's last season.

The only flaw was that Butler's offense last season had not actually been all that polished. He could occasionally explode for 20-plus points, and in the playoffs, he had even combined with Link for a miraculous 60-plus-point performance.

But his scoring was inconsistent, and his three-point percentage was under 30%. So even after making the All-Defensive Team, no one regarded Butler as a star.

At most, people saw Butler as an important reserve with plenty of grit. He was highly capable, but that was all.

Yet this summer, Butler had undergone a transformation on the offensive end. From the very first day of training camp, Butler had been honing his offensive skills. Jump shots, drives, post-ups... Like a wolf that had gone hungry for days, he frantically devoured everything he could learn.

Though he was learning a great many things, Butler had not lowered his standards. He trained extremely hard, arriving at the gym early in the morning even during the offseason. After everyone else left, Butler would always stay behind to keep training.

No player would dream of making himself this well-rounded unless his goal was to become a superstar.

Without question, Butler's hard work was already beginning to pay off. That was why he could now trade blows with Link and George.

Link's consecutive crossovers failed to shake Butler