Jimmy Butler has missed six games this season. That time off the court has given Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns a headstart in minutes played this season. Wiggins, with 2,204 and Towns, with 2,144, lead all players through the All-Star Break.

But Butler is not far behind at 2,052 minutes. And his 37.3 minutes per game lead all NBA players, including Wiggins and Towns.

"Surprising," Butler says with a sarcastic laughs when told he leads the league in that category.

Of course, Butler's been here before. He averaged 38.7 minutes both of his final two seasons together with Tom Thibodeau on the Bulls (2013-14 and 2014-15). Butler knew what he was in for reuniting this year with Thibs in Minnesota.

"He's really focusing on winning, so he's gonna play the guys he thinks have the best chance of doing just that, helping the team win" Butler says. "It just so happens that's myself, KAT and Wiggins. As long as we keep winning, I think you'll see the same thing coming every night. I'm happy with it. I'm cool with it."

The Timberwolves currently have the NBA's longest postseason drought, missing the playoffs for 13 straight seasons. Minnesota leaves the All-Star break at No. 4 in the Western Conference, so Thibs' strategy, which earned him five playoff appearances in five years in Chicago, appears to be working.

Butler spoke to ThePostGame at Jordan Brand's Studio 23 space in Los Angeles during All-Star Weekend. Andre Drummond, Kemba Walker and Victor Oladipo also made stops at the Little Tokyo pop-up.

Selected to his fourth straight All-Star Game, Butler was the only player in uniform who did not step on the court. He was reportedly "tired." In other words, he's saving those minutes for Thibs.

-- Follow ThePostGame on Twitter @ThePostGame.