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Dwyane Wade compares game of Jimmy Butler to LeBron James'
play
Wade draws comparison between Butler and LeBron (1:09)
6:49 PM CT
Nick FriedellESPN Staff Writer
BOSTON --
Chicago Bulls guard
Dwyane Wade played with
LeBron James long enough to know how overwhelming James can be on both ends of the floor. After watching Bulls All-Star swingman
Jimmy Butler's monster performance against the
Celtics on Sunday, he was ready to compare his current teammate to his old running mate on the
Miami Heat.
Butler scored 30 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and also spent time guarding Celtics All-Star
Isaiah Thomas in a Game 1 win.
Celts expect Thomas to play Game 2 vs. Bulls
The Celtics expect Isaiah Thomas to play in Game 2 against the Bulls before traveling home to be with his family after the death of his younger sister.
"I had the luxury of playing with a guy named LeBron," Wade said before Monday's practice. "And we did the same thing when we played -- to
Derrick Rose. You have a point guard who guards him but when you need a guy who's longer, who's just as fast, and all those things, it helps. It gives them a different look, it kind of throws off things. You're not going to slow down Isaiah Thomas from getting the looks and getting opportunities. The guy can score as good as anybody in this game. But just to give them a different look, if you get their offense out a little further, if it takes a little bit more time off the clock, all those things help. It's good to be able to have a guy like that to say, 'Get us 30, and then go guard the guy that's got 30.'"
Thomas finished the game with 33 points, but Butler was able to help keep him in check down the stretch, while also carrying the Bulls at times offensively. Wade knows that there are only a handful of players in the NBA who have that kind of ability.
"As I sit here, obviously Jimmy, Paul [George], Kawhi [Leonard], Draymond [Green], Bron," Wade said. "I'm sure I'm leaving somebody out.
Avery Bradley's a great defender. He's not as tall as those guys, but he's a great defender.
Patrick Beverley's a great defender. Obviously he's not guarding 4-men ... there's some guys that really get after it. We have the luxury of having one."
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