In February, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jimmy Butler meniscus tear in his right knee. In the February game against the Rockets, Butler drove to the basket for a short jumper. When he missed the shot, he went up for his own rebound. After grabbing the rebound, Butler landed awkwardly, and feel to the ground and held his knee. Butler couldn't put weight on his leg, and had to be helped off the court by his teammates.
On Saturday, Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau annouced that Jimmy Butler has been cleared for contact.
Butler has missed the last 15 games for the Timberwolves. He averaged 22.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game before his injury. His contribution to the Timberwolves helped the Timberwolves become a playoff contender.
Sam Amick, of USA Today Sports, reported on Monday that Butler took part in five-on-five action for the first time since suffering his injury. According to Amick,the session went well and Butler remains on track to return before the end of the regular season, but it remains unclear precisely when that might be. Butler also participated in today's practice.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are currently 7th in the Western Conference with a record of 44-34. They have a 1.5 game lead on the New Orleans Pelicans, who are 8th in the conference with a record of 43-34. The Timberwolves dropped from 4th to 7th while Jimmy Butler was injured. In the Western Conference, teams cannot afford to lose. If a team loses two straight games, they can drop a seed, or even be knocked out of playoff contention. The Western Conference is a tough, competitive conference where anything is possible.
If Jimmy Butler returns, the Timberwolves can make the playoffs, and get to a higher seed. If Butler doesn't return, the Timberwolves will likely stay in 7th place or miss the playoffs. Butler's return in the regular sesaon is a risk. Do the Timberwolves risk missing the playoffs by not playing Butler? Or, do the Timberwolves rest Butler until the playoffs, and he plays in the first round?
The Timberwolves are in a tougher situation than they realize. However, Jimmy Butler is anxious to return. If Butler feels he is ready, and the Timberwolves agree, they have to take the chance.