Timberwolves Power Rankings: The man is back in Towns

2. Jimmy Butler (1)

Season stats: 37.2 MPG – 22.4 PPG – 5.5 RPG – 5.0 APG – 47.9% FG – 37.2% 3PT – 86.4% 3PT

Weekly stats: 38.7 MPG – 23.7 PPG – 6.3 RPG – 4.7 APG – 43.8% FG – 30.8% 3PT – 86.2% FT

Jimmy Butler was still firmly entrenched in his crazy-good play that he has shown fans for the majority of the season, but a slight dip in scoring and efficiency combined with his top-two counterpart’s ridiculous week, Jimmy G. Buckets drops out of first place in the power rankings.

The now four-time All-Star was massive in his return to Chicago, going hard at his former team with a monstrous 38-point, seven-rebound, five-assist, four-steal night in the Windy City, despite missing the buzzer-beating 3-pointer that would have sealed the victory for the Timberwolves.

It was a big box score night for the former Bull, but it was soured by his opposite number Zach LaVine having one of his best career games and overshadowing Butler’s huge night.

After that however, the 27-year-old looked like he too could use the All-Star break for some rest. He posted a below par 18 points (5-9 FG, 1-1 3PT), though he did chip in five rebounds, three assists and two steals as well as a host of big buckets late in the 111-105 win.

He also somehow managed to keep this ball in bounds … this is true hustle, people:

To cap off a week that Jimmy G. Buckets would probably like to forget, he scored 15 points – his lowest in the last 12 games – had seven rebounds and dished out six assists. Going up against an MVP-caliber player like James Harden is a big deal for the competitive Butler, and he would have been disappointed in having such a quite night in a bad loss.

It may be just the way the game has been played out, or Jimmy Butler could be feeling some heavy legs as he heads in to 55 games of playing 37+ minutes most nights, maybe it will be better for Timberwolves fans if he just warms the Team Curry bench this weekend…