The Minnesota Timberwolves had an unfortunate start to the second half of their season.
In the third quarter of their first game back after the All-Star break, playing the Houston Rockets, All-Star forward Jimmy Butler went down with a knee injury. At first, the concern was that Butler tore his ACL, but an MRI on Saturday confirmed that Butler had actually suffered a torn meniscus.
That injury will require surgery, and according to Shams Charania, Butler will have that surgery in the next few days. He is expected to return in four to six weeks. However, an official timetable will not be set until after the surgery is complete.
Jimmy Butler is expected to undergo surgery in coming days and could return within 4-to-6 weeks, league sources tell Yahoo. Final timetable will be set after procedure.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 25, 2018
Tough blow for Minnesota, but Butler and team are hopeful of a return within that timetable from meniscus surgery. Butler has led Timberwolves to fourth seed in the West so far, with OKC just one game behind. https://t.co/cF6XxJ0I9c
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 25, 2018
This is still a tough blow for the Timberwolves, who have had their best season in over a decade, and look likely to head to the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
Minnesota's final regular-season game is on April 11, which is just about exactly six weeks from now. If Butler is able to return in that timeline, then he should be back by the end of the regular season, even if he's pushing the back end of that timeline.
The Wolves are currently in a tie for third place in the West, but are also just three games up on the ninth-place Clippers. But there are so many teams between them, and so few games remaining, that the Wolves should be able to secure a playoff spot in Butler's absence.
