Getty Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl Anthony-Towns and Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat.
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler‘s competitiveness is well documented. He’s a player that seems to take his game up a notch every season when the playoffs roll around. This season he’s had some impressive displays that helped power the Heat past the Milwaukee Bucks in the opening round.
Butler’s competitive fire stems further back past his days in South Beach. There’s the infamous story of his scrimmage as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, when he reportedly took the third stringers and beat the Wolves’ starting group.
His Timberwolves teammate, Karl Anthony-Towns recently opened up about the incident, during an appearance on “The Podcast P Show” with Paul George.
“I mean much respect to Jimmy, let me tell you that before I start anything,” Towns told George. “I needed the help to get to the first playoffs. It’s a team game and we both did a lot of work to get us there. I do remember this. We had practice, we had that game. It was the four starters, and it was Jimmy, his boy from Marquette [Darius Johnson]-Odom, and three other guys, I think one of them actually ended up being a starter for us. I was balling, he was passing a lot. He got one free throw. I know we had a moment where we was arguing with each other. He said some s—, I said some s— back. I wasn’t going for that… They ended up winning the game, I think they got a last second shot to go in, so it was a quick little scrimmage or whatever. Then I remember the whole thing happened where he’s screaming at the people and everything. I guess practice is over.”
Towns added that the two are now in a “cool spot,” after butting heads a bit in Minnesota.
“We had our differences but we seen each other at All-Stars. We talked, I asked how his family was and he asked how my family was. I think we at a cool spot.”
“We had our differences but we’ve seen each other at All-Stars and we’ve talked.”
KAT finally shares his side of the infamous Jimmy Butler practice story and their relationship.
Full story on the @KarlTowns episode is PREMIERING NOW: t.co/6CGnTpAKJr
Kyle Lowry Praises Jimmy Butler After Heat Win Game 3
Butler seems to get along with his Heat teammates much better than he did with those in Minnesota. Kyle Lowry had a ton of praise for Miami’s No. 22, after he poured in 28 points to help the Heat down the New York Knicks in Game 3.
“Anytime Jimmy be playing, he’s always going to be great,” Lowry said via Bally Sports Sun: Heat. “One thing about Jimmy, he’s always going to be effective, he’s going to play great music as he’s playing in the background right now. He’s always going to give us an extra boost. So, we appreciate him as much as the next person.”
Erik Spoelstra Shouts Out Jimmy Butler After Heat’s Game 3 Victory
Butler has been vital to Miami’s playoff-run. His performance against the Knicks proved that once again, as he led the Heat to the 105-86 blowout win.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra praised the team as a whole afterwards, but singled out Butler, saying “you need a guy like Jimmy,” when playing in the playoffs.
“We have a bunch of guys stepping up,” Spoelstra said. “We’re more dangerous when a lot of guys are putting their fingerprints on the win and that’s at both ends of the court. But you need a guy like Jimmy also when you’re playing against a good team like this.”