Timberwolves at 76ers
Jimmy Butler will play against his former team for the first time since being traded when the Philadelphia 76ers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. Butler clashed with the Minnesota organization prior to the season and was critical of teammates Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins before eventually being dealt to Philadelphia on Nov. 12.
The 76ers have gone 20-10 since the trade, but Butler is having trouble fitting in and recently challenged coach Brett Brown about his offensive role. Butler is averaging 18.7 points in 25 games with Philadelphia after being acquired along with center Justin Patton for forwards Robert Covington and Dario Saric and guard Jerryd Bayless. "I was hoping that it could work, but things in the NBA always change," Minnesota power forward Taj Gibson told reporters on Monday of the situation and fallout involving Butler. "You have to just keep moving forward. Jimmy is in a good situation, KAT and Wiggs are in a great situation, so it worked out for the better." Brown said he is looking forward to seeing the trio that was traded away, particularly Saric and Covington - although the latter will miss his seventh straight game due to knee and ankle injuries.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBA TV, FS North (Minnesota), NBCS Philadelphia
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (21-22): Minnesota was off to a dreadful 4-9 start while Butler was bordering on behaving incorrigibly but has been a solid 17-13 since making the trade. Towns was superb with 27 points and a career-best 27 rebounds in Saturday's 110-106 victory over New Orleans and is averaging 27.5 and 16.6, respectively, over his last 10 games. "I just want to be the energy my team needs on a nightly basis," Towns told reporters after Saturday's win, "and if they need more, I've got to be able to bring it."
ABOUT THE 76ERS (28-16): Ben Simmons collected a career-best 22 rebounds to go with 20 points and nine assists during Sunday's 108-105 victory in New York. Simmons referred to the 76ers as "too soft" - a tag that irritated Butler - after Friday's 123-121 loss to Atlanta but had no such issues with anyone after the win over the Knicks. "We have to lock down on defense and offensively take care of the ball," Simmons told reporters. "I think that's really it. Everybody needs to be locked in."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The 76ers have won four straight home meetings with the Timberwolves.
2. Philadelphia C Joel Embiid recorded 26 points, eight rebounds and a season-best six blocked shots against the Knicks.
3. Minnesota rookie SG Josh Okogie scored a season-best 17 points against the Pelicans and is averaging 16 over his last two games.