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Timberwolves' success reliant on Butler


The acquisition of All-Star Jimmy Butler was the big offseason move for the Minnesota Timberwolves, expecting the team’s performance to be better on both sides of the ball.

Through the first 24 games the Timberwolves played in the 2016-2017 season, their record was 6-18 and their defense was allowing a putrid 107.3 points per game. Fast forward to this year, and the Wolves’ record with Butler on the floor (missed two games with an illness) is 15-9. Their defense with Butler has been slightly better, but not by any marginal value.

What Butler has contributed dramatically over his last 12 games is offense—and a lot of it. Chemistry issues have been the ongoing question for this team this season, and early on it appeared the former Chicago Bull was struggling. In his first 12 games this season, Butler averaged 15.3 points per game on 39.7 percent shooting from the floor. He also held a minuscule 1.2 plus-minus rating, which is well below the expected outcome for Tomball, Texas native.

During this recent 12-game stretch, Butler has taken a more attack approach at the basket, averaging 22.5 points per game, shooting almost 50 percent from the floor with a plus-minus of 7.8. Butler’s improved play on the offensive end has still been leveled out by the team’s overall inconsistencies, but it is important to take note of the superstar’s improvement.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau has always been notorious for giving his star players a lot of minutes. At times this season, Thibodeau has only used eight players in a game. Between Butler, Andrew Wiggins, and Karl-Anthony Towns, it could be an alarming factor if the usage of these players increases or stays where it is at. When we look at the head coach’s past teams, most notably the Chicago Bulls with Joakim Noah and former MVP Derrick Rose, he has been known to run his players out of gas. Rose is barely holding up these days, and Noah has battled injury issues for the 
past few years.


In order for the Timberwolves to continue competing for a spot in the playoffs, they will need Butler’s production to continue to be one of the leaders on the court. In order for that to happen, the minutes played by Butler may dictate how any foreseeable future could be successful for the Timberwolves. 



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