Jimmy Butler Returns to Twitter, Encourages Chippy Play, Trash-Talks to Jazz

While recovering from a knee injury, Minnesota Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler dusted off the cobwebs on his Twitter account to pump up his team in the final quarter of an intense game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Friday.

Timberwolves guard Jeff Teague appeared to lower his shoulder into Utah's Ricky Rubio, which sent the Jazz guard to the floor. No one threw punches, but officials ejected Teague with a flagrant-2 foul.

Jazz fans didn't take kindly to Teague, but Butler offered a different take, tweeting, "Haven't used Twitter in years. But yeah Jeff that's what I like to see. Rubio getting up quick for no reason."

Minutes later, Jazz forward Jae Crowder received a technical after he went face-to-face with Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau, and Butler wasn't having it.

He wrote: "Jae get away from my coach. You don't want no smoke either."

After the game, Crowder chose not to engage in a social media beef and offered a more formal way to discuss differences: "I DON'T TWITTER BEEF I'LL LEAVE THAT TO U.. BUT U GOT MY PHONE NUMBER AND KNOW MY HOME ADDRESS..!! THE REST CAN BE HISTORY."

Crowder collected a second technical foul with 45.3 seconds remaining, which totaled three ejections for the game. Karl Anthony-Towns had two technicals in the first half.           

The Jazz won the contest 116-108.