Butler with hearty boos, defeat Cavaliers by 131-123

Timberwolves fans greeted Jimmy Butler with hearty boos before Minnesota's home opener on Friday night, a 131-123 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, but they were chanting a different tune not long afterward.

Timberwolves fans greeted Jimmy Butler with hearty boos before Minnesota's home opener on Friday night, a 131-123 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, but they were chanting a different tune not long afterwards.

Butler, who has demanded a trade amid reports of dissatisfaction with some of his younger teammates and is making it known that he won't re-sign with the team, scored 33 points and added seven rebounds, four steals and three assists.

By the midpoint of the second quarter, fans were chanting "M-V-P" when Butler came to the foul line.

"I knew it was going to happen," Butler told reporters postgame. "I knew they were going to switch up on me. It's part of it. I think there's probably some more boos to come one of these days."

Butler added that he enjoyed being the villain. During pregame introductions, he walked past owner Glen Taylor, who was greeting the team's other players.

"I love it. I love it," Butler said. "I think people kind of love to hate me sometimes. Say whatever you want to say, but it really makes me smile, what people think about me. But no matter what, you gotta respect my effort."

In the past week, when Butler has had heated arguments with teammates at one practice and continued his verbal criticism against the front office, he even encouraged fans to express their dissatisfaction with him over his dispute with the team.

"Jimmy doesn't care," teammate Tyus Jones said. "He handles his business when he's on the court. Boos, cheers, whatever."

In the Wolves' season-opening 112-108 loss to San Antonio on Wednesday night, Butler began filling in the stat sheet, finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Afterwards, he said that if a trade "comes to be, it comes to be, there's nothing I can do about that." Butler added, "In the meantime, I've got to figure out a way to help us win some games."

While still with Bulls in 2016, Butler signed a five-year, $92.3 million contract that has two more years remaining. He can opt out after this season.

"You're allowed to dislike me, but you can't say I'm a bad person and I don't play to win," Butler said. "That's all that matters. You all don't get the juicy parts of the story. The part you do get, you all do a great job of making me seem like the bad guy, by the way. But it is what it is."

(With inputs from agencies.)