Bulls' Butler goes through intense shooting drill Sunday

Injured Chicago Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler went through an intense shooting drill Sunday ahead of the team's game against the San Antonio Spurs. 

While Butler's three-to-six-week recovery timeline from a sprained elbow ligament is unchanged, it's an encouraging sign, nonetheless, that the first time All-Star was able to hoist jumpers exactly one week after sustaining the arm injury in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. 

The Bulls, without the services of Butler, power forward Taj Gibson and point guard Derrick Rose indefinitely, entered Sunday mere percentage points ahead of the surging, LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers for first place in the Central Division. Chicago's 39-24 record places it second in the Eastern Conference. 

Butler is averaging a team-leading 20.2 points and 1.7 steals over a league-high 38.9 minutes per game. He's also chipping in with 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists, while shooting 46.2 percent from the field in what's been a career season for the 25-year-old.