Jimmy Butler acknowledged he has been a lightning rod for criticism of the Bulls this season, and he referenced a line from "The Dark Knight" to explain why — "In the wise words of Harvey Dent: 'You either die the hero or you live long enough to become a villain.'"
It has been a week since tension among teammates boiled over, with Butler, Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo trading jabs on social media. And then there's the question of whether coach Fred Hoiberg is letting the inmates run Arkham Asylum.
With that backdrop, we found quotes from Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy that we wouldn't be surprised to hear coming from a member of the Bulls.
"People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy, and I can't do that as Bruce Wayne." — Bruce Wayne to Alfred Pennyworth in "Batman Begins."
Wade, who doesn't often play the heavy, did with last week's comments.
"I won't kill you, but I don't have to save you." — Batman to Ra's Al Ghul in "Batman Begins."
Butler to Hoiberg, whose authority he has questioned in the past.
"I fear dying in here, while my city burns, and there's no one there to save it." — Bruce Wayne to the blind prisoner in "The Dark Knight Rises."
Hoiberg, to himself.
"I just couldn't figure the legal ramifications of bringing you back from the dead." — Alfred Pennyworth to Bruce Wayne in "Batman Begins."
If only Gar Forman knew before Wade's signing what he knows now.
"What were you trying to prove? That deep down, everyone's as ugly as you? You're alone!" — Batman to the Joker in "The Dark Knight."
That could be Rondo's response to Wade's or Butler's rant about teammates not wanting to win badly enough.
"I need you to get me back in the game." — Bruce Wayne to Lucius Fox in "The Dark Knight Rises."
Rondo to Hoiberg.
"Come with me. Save yourself. You don't owe these people any more. You've given them everything." — Catwoman to Batman in "The Dark Knight Rises."
Ex-Bull Joakim Noah could say that to fellow New York native Taj Gibson, the subject of trade rumors for years and a man caught in the middle of the feud.
ptlhompson@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @_phil_thompson
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
