There are very few places as loud and raucous as the Target Center to watch an NBA game. The home of the Minnesota Timberwolves brings an unmatched energy; cheering for their players and booing opposition players till their voices are hoarse. But tonight, Minneapolis faithful may have gone too far. And Jimmy Butler had a warning for them. But given his history with them, will they really listen?

You see, tonight the Warriors beat the Timberwolves 88-99 to start the second round off with a win. However, given how passionate T-Wolves fans are, they began to heckle Jimmy Butler many times during the game. Not one to take it lying down, after the game, when asked about the booing crowd, Butler sent out a clear warning to the fans at the Target Center.

“That doesn’t bother me,” said Jimmy about the boos. He then continued, “But people do have to wash their mouth(s). You know? It’s cool with the boos and all of that stuff, but you call on people out of their names and all of that stuff, which I can hear.” Upon hearing this, Jimmy’s teammate, Buddy Hield, got curious and asked what the fans had said.

But it seems they’d said something so upsetting that Jimmy was in no mood to repeat it. ” No. I’m not gonna repeat it. It’s not good. That’s unnecessary. The boos, I get it. I understand. Let’s just keep it at that,” Butler reiterated. It seems the fans crossed the line with this one. However, this postseason, the Target Center has been a vibe of its own.

In fact, even Anthony Edwards couldn’t believe how rowdy the fans got during Game 3 of the T-Wolves’ series with the Lakers. “Like it was so loud in there. That was probably the most fun I’ve had in Target Center for sure,” said Edwards after that game. And that was during a game against the Lakers.

Tonight, the fans were rowdy for another reason altogether. You see, it has everything to do with Jimmy being a former Minnesota player. And one of Jimmy’s former teammates rather accurately predicted the reception he would receive tonight.

Jeff Teague dubbed Jimmy Butler the “most hated man in Minnesota” ahead of Game 1

You may have forgotten all about it, but Jimmy Butler used to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He spent just over a season in Minneapolis before his trade request was fulfilled in the 2018/19 season. Now, why did Jimmy Butler request a trade? Well, he’d grown dissatisfied with the team’s culture. Butting heads with the front office over his contract didn’t help things either.

All in all, it was a messy separation — like a couple that’s fallen out of love. So, like a bitter ex, the fanbase tonight didn’t hold back in giving Jimmy a less-than-warm welcome. And one man who called this to the T was Jimmy’s teammate in Minnesota, Jeff Teague. “They’re going to boo the s— out that boy,” Jeff said on his podcast, Club 520.

“He’s going to get more boos than me…Y’all think Jimmy the most hated person in Minnesota? Yeah. I think Jimmy might be the most hated person in Minnesota,” declared Teague. And boy was he right!

Jimmy was abused and booed all night. So much so that he really had no choice but to make his comments from above. Why is it that Jimmy Butler always has such ignominious departures from clubs? After all, leaving the Miami Heat was also a stressful affair for the Dubs star.

We’ll probably never find the answers to this. Nonetheless, we don’t expect the Minnesota fans to stop their booing or heckling anytime soon. Even if Jimmy did warn them. So it seems ‘Jimmy Buckets’ will need to grow some thicker skin before he returns to the Target Center. Or invest in a pair of noise-cancelling buds!