* Tonight on League Pass: Kings vs. Timberwolves (8 p.m. ET)

Jimmy Butler’s leadership role in Minnesota extends beyond just his production and contributions on the court. As the elder statesman, so to speak, he feels he has a responsibility to look out for young stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, especially when things go awry.

So it should come as no surprise that Butler came to the defense of Towns in the wake of the Timberwolves’ loss to Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. Embiid’s trolling of Towns on social media will certainly get the attention in the hours leading up to tonight’s game against Sacramento at Target Center (8 ET, League Pass). Butler’s aim, however, was to set the record straight about Towns first, as Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune explains:

Butler dismissed the notion that the loss was Towns’ fault.

“No it’s not, man,” Butler said. “I don’t want to hear that. He didn’t go out there and play 5-on-1. No, he didn’t. We don’t want to hear that. We all could have done better as a team.”

The Wolves made one of their first 22 three-point attempts and finished 5-for-29 while the Sixers went 11-for-26. They held a 12-2 advantage in turnovers at halftime, finished with a 24-10 edge and still lost because the Sixers executed better near game’s end and moved the ball better.

The Sixers had 32 assists on 40 made baskets, the Wolves had 19 assists on 44 makes.

“Another one that you look back and say we should have won if we would have done this, if we could have done that,” Butler said. “The same thing for us.”