Jimmy Butler scored 15 of his game-high 32 points in the fourth quarter Monday night for the Minnesota Timberwolves, holding off LeBron James and the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 124-120.
Butler says he relishes going up against James and other superstars.
Jimmy Butler scores 15 in the fourth to power Timberwolves past Lakers https://t.co/fbtR1kbuKj pic.twitter.com/QaAysy9m6x
— Pioneer Press (@PioneerPress) October 30, 2018
The All-Star guard continues to deliver for a team he no longer wants to play for.
Per the Pioneer Press:
Butler has vowed to play hard as long as he’s in Minnesota, and to this point has stuck to his word. He has played well — minus a stinker on Friday against Milwaukee, a game in which no one on the Wolves’ roster performed. Butler was asked Monday if the team needed a night like this given all of the drama surrounding the team.
“It’s basketball. I don’t think nothing that’s gone on before this game has anything to do with us going out there and competing,” Butler said. “We all go out there and play together, play to win, with or without what’s going on.”
Whether or not that’s true for everyone, it’s true for him. He can’t not try. Butler competed Monday, outplaying LeBron James. It’s Butler’s eighth win in his last nine meetings against the best player in the world.
“I enjoy matchups against LeBron, James (Harden), (Kevin Durant), Steph (Curry), whoever it may be,” Butler said. “I just want to show that I can compete with the best of ’em.”
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