The Minnesota Timberwolves announced Jimmy Butler will his second straight game on Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons with an upper respiratory illness.

Tom Thibodeau told the media after Tuesday’s loss to Indiana that he wasn’t sure his newly-acquired star would play. Thibodeau said he had “some I.V.’s” in him, with hopes that it would help expedite the process.

“We were hopeful that he would feel better, but he’s pretty sick,” Thibodeau said on Tuesday.

Shabazz Muhammad started in Butler’s place in Tuesday’s outing. After Wednesday’s outing, the Timberwolves are off until a rematch at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Timberwolves missed Butler defense in Tuesday’s game against Indiana, giving up 130 points to the shorthanded Pacers.

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Tim Faklis

Tim Faklis is a senior editor and the Timberwolves beat writer for Zone Coverage, as well as an NBA contributor for Sporting News. He's written about basketball and music for A Wolf Among Wolves, VICE, City Pages, Fansided, Growler Mag, Hardwood Paroxysm, The Classical, and others. As it stands right now, he remains the world's biggest Trenton Hassell fan.

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