Jimmy Butler and coach Tim Thibodeau were greeted with whistles at the Minnesota Timberwolves home premiere. Butler had expected this anyway, but once again criticized the media.
“I knew it would happen,” the Guard told the media after the game. “I knew they’d react that way. That’s part of it, and I think there’s going to be some boos in the future.”
Butler was alluding to a possible trade he had demanded from the Timberwolves management. However, none of them could be found since then, the last time the Miami Heat said goodbye to the talks was after a deal burst at the last second.
On the field Butler still gives everything as long as he’s part of the Wolves. That’s what the game against Cleveland showed. 33 points (10/12 FG, 12/12 FT) the change-willing player played and led his colours almost single-handedly to victory. “He let his game speak for itself”, colleague Taj Gibson was astonished as well. The mood changed completely, it was really funny.”
But whether the fans were booing or not, Butler seemed to be indifferent anyway. “You don’t have to like me, but nobody has to say that I’m a bad person and don’t want to win. All of you [the media] don’t understand that. You all portray me as a bad person.”
But Butler wasn’t the only person who was booed that night. In addition to Kevin Love, who has been used to this since leaving Minnesota, coach and GM Tom Thibodeau were also given a whistle at the show.