The Chicago Bulls came out of the All-Star break
intent on starting a youth movement. The Minnesota Timberwolves
readied for a final sprint to the playoffs and breaking the
franchise's long postseason absence.
Minnesota is now hoping for the best for Jimmy Butler, Chicago's
one-time star.
Butler left Friday's game in Houston with an injured right knee.
Butler went down in the third quarter and had to be helped off the
court in the Timberwolves' 120-102 loss.
An X-ray on the injured knee came back negative, according to
Yahoo's Shams Charania.
Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters after the game that
Butler will have an MRI exam today.
The Wolves host Chicago tonight.
"You just hope it's not too bad," Thibodeau said, according to the
team's radio voice, Alan Horton, on Twitter.
Butler, an All-Star this season, entered Friday leading the NBA in
minutes played 37.3 per game. Butler played 25 minutes on Friday,
scoring 10 points. Minnesota (36-26) is 2-4 without Butler in the
lineup this season, his first with the Wolves since leaving Chicago.
Without Butler, the Bulls (20-38) are 12th in the Eastern
Conference and have altered their rotation to give more younger
players a chance. Center Robin Lopez and swingman Justin Holiday
sat out Thursday's game against Philadelphia after it was announced
that coach Fred Hoiberg would turn to Cristiano Felicio and David
Nwaba in the starting lineup.
Cameron Payne also saw time at backup point guard instead of Jerian
Grant as Chicago fell 116-115 to Philadelphia.
"I couldn't be happier the way we went out and played and
competed," Hoiberg told the team's website. "We dig ourselves an
18-point hole and fight all the way back and have complete control
of that game. A lot of guys played well, so there's a lot of
positives to take out of this game. I loved our effort all game
long."
Bobby Portis scored 38 points off the bench and former Minnesota
guard Zach LaVine -- who came over in the trade for Butler --
scored 23. Nwaba added 21 points
"It's always hard losing those hard-fought games, but at the same
time we played well as a team," Portis told the team's website.
"Very heartbreaking, us going out there, busting our tail from
start to finish, coming back from a (18-point first-quarter)
deficit, having a chance to win, being up five. We have to come
back together, watch film and learn from our mistakes."
The performance was a quick validation for the changes.
"As I talked to our guys about, we're not talking wins and losses,"
Hoiberg told the team's website. "We're talking about going out and
competing and playing hard and this gives us another opportunity to
learn. If we go out with the fighting spirit, we're going to be in
games; we're going to have a chance."
The Timberwolves have a chance at much more as they try to break a
13-year streak of missing the postseason.
Minnesota started Friday sitting fourth in the West after having
played more games than any other team in the NBA. The Wolves had 21
games left to cement their position. Now they might be doing so
without Butler.
"It's 21 games in 47 days," Thibodeau told the team's website
before Friday's game. "And there's some unusual breaks, too, in
terms of we have a five-day break, we have two three-day breaks, we
have four two-day breaks. For our players, most NBA players, like
to play every other day. ... Whatever comes our way, we'll have to
deal with it."
Tonight's game can be heard on Good Time Oldies 1060 with the Pre-Game Show at 7:45.