Timberwolves at Raptors
The Minnesota Timberwolves and their fans are still waiting for some resolution on the Jimmy Butler saga, but as long as he's there he might as well continue to lead the team to wins. Butler will try to guide the Timberwolves to back-to-back victories when they visit the red-hot Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.
Butler requested a trade prior to training camp and is still around despite well-documented tension between he and the front office and got mixed messages in each of the first two home games from fans, who booed at the start and cheered when he played well. "I’m just hooping," Butler told reporters. "I don't really pay attention to the crowd. That's my brothers and my guys sitting right there. I interact with them the majority of the game. ... Other than that, I'm out there just hooping." The Raptors made their big trade over the summer over the summer by bringing in Kawhi Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs. Leonard is having no trouble fitting in with his new teammates and is averaging 25.7 points and 8.7 rebounds during Toronto's undefeated start.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), Sportsnet (Toronto)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (2-2): Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau is looking for a big return in any potential trade for Butler because he understands how much of an impact the All-Star swingman has on both ends of the floor. "He combines great strength, quickness, speed and intelligence," Thibodeau told reporters of Butler's skills at the defensive end. Butler is leading the Timberwolves in scoring at an average of 25.3 points while center Karl-Anthony Towns is pulling out of an early funk and recorded his first double-double of the campaign with 17 points and 14 rebounds in Monday's 101-91 win over the Indiana Pacers.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (4-0): Leonard is making things easier for the rest of his teammates, especially All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry. Lowry is a career 42.6 percent shooter but is connecting at a 60 percent clip this season and is 20-of-29 from the floor in the three games he started alongside Leonard. Lowry handed out 14 of the team's 36 assists in Monday's 127-106 win over the Charlotte Hornets while shooting guard Danny Green, who came over along with Leonard from the Spurs, scored a season-high 18 points.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Toronto PG Delon Wright (groin) sat out the first four games but could make his season debut on Wednesday.
2. Timberwolves SF Andrew Wiggins (quad) left Monday's game early and is questionable.
3. The teams split the two-game series in each of the last three seasons, with the home team winning each contest.