The Philadelphia 76ers mustered a much-needed blowout of the Minnesota Timberwolves, making the first ever Jimmy Butler Bowl between the two teams a massive success. The Sixers star, however, known as an avid trash-talker, noted he didn't engage in much of that during his first time hosting his old team — more so exchanging pleasantries with them while keeping the end-game goal in mind.
“I do want to beat those guys, but I want to beat every team,” Butler told reporters post-game. “It was everything that I thought it would be, seeing some old faces. Not too much trash talking, though. I don't think anybody's talking like that. I like the fact that we beat them.”
Butler put up a sparkling 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting, sprinkling in three rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block in his 28 minutes of play in a game that was over much earlier than expected.
The Sixers drummed the Wolves for two 40-plus-point quarters in the first half, leading by 25 points at the break and cruising to a 32-point third quarter and a 34-point fourth the remainder of the game.
Philadelphia has been tinkering with rotations in hopes to find one that suits them best, and Tuesday night's effort might have been the right formula, as all five starters scored 14 or more points — having seven players in double figures and most importantly, limiting Minnesota to 38.9 percent from the field.
This game will serve as a confidence booster for a team that will face five games in the microscope of national television going on the road through the next week-and-a-half.
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