Jimmy Butler finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals to help lead the 76ers over the Timberwolves 118-109 Saturday night, but not without trading jabs with the team he helped end a 13-year playoff drought last season.
Butler was booed loudly by fans during starting lineup introductions, revealing that the wounds Butler left when he demanded a trade before the season are still fresh. Even the team got in on the act, playing Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” over the arena speakers as Butler was introduced.
https://twitter.com/Kyle_Ratke/status/1112144343693836288
When Butler came down grabbing his lower back after a play in the first quarter, some fans in the announced crowd of 18,978 booed him as he was clearly in pain.
“I don’t care about being loved all the time,” Butler said after the game, via ESPN. “It’s no fun that way.”
No, keyboard warrior. It’s fine to boo him at any point in the game, except when it looks like he’s injured. Comes back into the game and is clearly fine? Boo away. But you’re trash if you take that opportunity to boo someone. https://t.co/XdzFbgjueS
— Zach Harper (@talkhoops) March 31, 2019
Before the game, Butler was sitting outside the Wolves’ locker room when players arrived, and he gave Karl-Anthony Towns a hug that ESPN called “an uncomfortable embrace.”
Towns and Andrew Wggins were the target of consistent criticism from Butler during their short time as teammates, with the four-time All-Star questioning the former No. 1 overall picks’ effort and focus on defense.
As for more trolling, the Wolves got the ball rolling when they tweeted a welcome back message to Justin Patton, saying it was the “night we’ve all been waiting for.”
the night we’ve been waiting all season for…
Welcome back, @JustinPatton17! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/yuyWJ429KN
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 30, 2019
Patton was traded to Philly with Butler in the deal that brought Robert Covington, Dario Saric and Jerryd Bayless to Minnesota.
In a couple of weeks Butler and the 76ers will be in the playoffs while the Wolves will be watching from home for the 14th time in the last 15 years.
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