Jimmy Butler hilariously waved and blew kisses at Minnesota Timberwolves fans in Target Center on Saturday night, after they started chanting “Where is Jimmy?”
Butler sat out for the game as he was rested on the second night of a back-to-back. The Miami Heat had played on the road against the Boston Celtics on Friday and opted to give the 34-year-old the night off here.
Considering his history with the Timberwolves, having had an infamous stint with them from 2017 to 2018, it was hardly a surprise that the crowd started calling him out, as the Heat were getting blown out. Without Butler, Miami just couldn’t keep up in this contest with Minnesota and lost 106-90, to drop to 1-2.
Jimmy Butler Has Missed The Last Four Games Against The Timberwolves
Butler missing games against the Timberwolves has actually become a theme in recent years. His sitting out of this one meant he has now missed the last four games between these sides.
Last season, Butler missed both games against the Timberwolves due to injuries. He missed the first one due to right knee soreness and then was out for the second due to an ankle problem.
Going back to the 2021-22 season, he missed the second game between these teams with the reason being toe irritation. That one was also the second night of a back-to-back, so make of it what you will.
So, the last time he played against the Timberwolves was all the way back on 24 November 2021. Butler had just 16 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal on the night, as Minnesota won 113-101.
The next game between these teams will be on December 18, and it isn’t part of a back-to-back. It will be interesting to see if the six-time All-Star does suit up for that one.
Jimmy Butler’s Time With The Minnesota Timberwolves
When the Timberwolves acquired Butler from the Chicago Bulls in 2017, there was a whole lot of excitement. He was bringing star power, and somewhat of a veteran presence to a young team, that was led by Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
Things went fairly well in their first season, as Butler averaged 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game to lead them to the playoffs. They lost in the first round to the Houston Rockets, but the season was still viewed in a positive light, as it was the first time in over a decade that the franchise made the postseason.
Any hope of building on that would soon be dashed, as Butler reportedly was unhappy with the contract extension that the Timberwolves offered to him in the offseason. He demanded a trade even before training camp in 2018.
He initially sat out during camp but would return later and that was when we got the infamous practice incident. Butler teamed up with backups and G-League players to beat the Timberwolves starters during a scrimmage.
Jeff Teague was one of those starters, and Teague did share what exactly went down between Butler and his Timberwolves teammates that day. Despite those events, Butler would end up playing 10 games for Minnesota in the 2018-19 campaign, after which he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, to bring an end to what was a wild ride.
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