MINNEAPOLIS _ Amid the lasers and smoke machines that go with the spectacle of home-opener introductions, the 18,978 in attendance booed.
Given Friday's pomp and the circumstances surrounding Jimmy Butler's desire to be traded _ and the fact that, last week, Butler had basically dared the crowd to do so _ the boos were no surprise. Butler got 'em. Coach Tom Thibodeau got 'em. Old standby Kevin Love _ here with the Cleveland Cavaliers _ got 'em.
As expected.
But this wasn't: By the time the Wolves had turned an early nine-point deficit into a 17-point halftime lead _ en route to a 131-123 victory _ those boos for Butler had turned into MVP chants.
Well, at least a couple, at first. But, with 9:08 left in the game and Butler hitting two free throws, there were legitimate MVP chants. Certainly late.
Call it a hate-love affair.
The fact is, Butler turned boos into cheers. And the Wolves held on for a victory that evened their record at 1-1.
Butler? He played 36 minutes. He scored 33 points, with seven rebounds and three assists. He was there for one big play after another. He hit 10 of 12 shots and all 12 free throws. At the end the fans came to their feet as Butler hit a jumper with 24 seconds left to ice the victory.
So different from the way this all started. The crowed started by booing Butler every time he touched the ball. That ended when he intercepted an early Cavs pass and fed Taj Gibson for a basket.
When Anthony Tolliver's steal led to Tyus Jones' alley-oop to Butler in the second quarter the cheers grew.
Moments later, after Butler was fouled and went to the line, the MVP chants could be heard from the north end of Target Center's lower bowl.
Fickle? Perhaps.
But there is no question the boos were history by the time the first half ended with the Wolves up 71-54.
In the end the Wolves held on.
Cleveland got within six points with 9:43 left in the game on two free throws by Collin Sexton. But Butler fed Gorgui Dieng for a 3-pointer. Next time down Butler was fouled and hit both free throws. Butler rebounded the Cavs ensuing miss, which ended with Dieng scoring at the other end, a quick 7-0 run that pushed the lead back to 13 with 8:46 left.
Again the Cavs pushed, pulling within 121-117 on Sexton's drive off the glass with 4:02 left.
Out of a timeout Butler was fouled and hit two free throws with 3:20 left. Then Butler knocked the ball free on the Cavs possession, leading to Gibson's basket.
The Wolves survived. Andrew Wiggins had 22 points, Gibson 13 and Derrick Rose 12 off the bench. Cleveland was led by Love (25 points) and Cedi Osman (22).
A slow start had the Wolves down 24-15 midway through the first before the Wolves _ led mainly by reserves Tolliver and Rose _ finished the quarter on a 17-6 run to take a 32-30 lead into the second. Leading the way was Tolliver five points in that run, and Rose had four.
The second quarter was more than the same, with the Wolves scoring 39 points, pushing the lead to as many as 20 before settling for a 71-54 halftime lead.
Butler had 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting by halftime.
The Wolves led 89-71 midway through the third quarter when Love scored seven points _ a 3-pointer and four free throws _ to pull within 11 with 3:42 left in the quarter.
The Cavs kept coming. Late in the quarter Rose was called for a foul, then a technical for complaining about it, and the ensuing three-point play pulled within seven points before two free throws by Wiggins made it 104-95 entering the fourth.
