Jimmy Butler of the Golden State Warriors greets fans after defeating the Houston Rockets, 103-89, at Toyota Center on May 4, 2025, in Houston.

The Golden State Warriors’ Game 7 victory Sunday not only secured the team a spot in the second round of the postseason; it also reignited one of the league’s most prolific feuds: Jimmy Butler vs. the entire Timberwolves fan base.

It’s hard to imagine fans being more actively excited to face a playoff opponent than Minnesota sports fans are to see Butler and the Dubs in the second round. The history goes back to just before the 2018-19 NBA season. Butler, then 28, had just finished an All-NBA season with the Wolves, a team he helped make its first playoff appearance in 13 years, and had made his fourth straight NBA All-Star Game. But the success didn’t carry over into the vibes, as just prior to training camp, he requested a trade from the team and insisted he wouldn’t re-sign with Minnesota in the offseason.

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