Subscribe
Follow Us
After a somewhat shaky start, the Minnesota Timberwolves have been living up to the substantial hype placed upon them heading into the season. They’re now 7-3 through 10 games and have won five games in a row. That’s despite key offseason acquisition Jimmy Butler averaging just 15.1 points on 43 percent shooting.
But according to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, Butler isn’t concerned with his individual numbers as long the team continues winning.
Article Continues Below“Like I said my whole career, as long as we’re winning I don’t give a damn what my stats are,” Butler said. “I think winning makes everybody happy.”
Despite not scoring as much as he’s accustomed to, Butler’s impact on this Timberwolves team has been immediately felt. Minnesota suffered their two blowout defeats at the hands of the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons when Butler was sidelined with an upper respiratory infection and began their current winning run upon his return.
The Timberwolves don’t really need Butler’s scoring as much as they have rising young stars in Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins capable of doing most of the heavy lifting. However, Butler's leadership, defensive intensity, and playmaking have proven invaluable to a Timberwolves team sorely in need of those qualities.
It’s an encouraging sign to see Butler sacrificing his personal stats for the good of the team. It sets a great example for the rest of the Timberwolves to follow, which could prove beneficial for them in the long run.
