Timberwolves’ Jimmy Butler suffers meniscus tear, will have surgery

Minnesota Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler suffered a meniscus tear and is mulling treatment options.

Last night, Minnesota Timberwolves fans lived out a nightmare when star Jimmy Butler twisted his knee in a game against the Houston Rockets. Butler couldn’t leave the court on his own power afterward and needed to be carried off by teammates instead.

Butler got an x-ray after the game and the results were negative, but x-rays don’t reveal ligament damage only bone damage. An MRI is required to show the extent of ligament damage and Butler had an MRI today.

The Timberwolves tweeted the results out and revealed Butler only sustained a meniscal injury. The report was vague and offered no specifics on the severity of the injury or what the timetable for a return looks like.

Less than an hour later, Shams Charania of the Vertical tweeted out the dagger to Timberwolves fans hearts. It was, in fact, a meniscal tear in his right knee.

There’s still no information on whether Butler suffered a full meniscal tear or a partial one. Butler is mulling treatment options because not all meniscal tears require surgery, some just require rehab. However, if Butler has a full tear and requires surgery he could miss the rest of the season and playoffs.

UPDATE: Butler will have surgery and will return within four to six weeks.

— end of update —

The Timberwolves are currently fourth in the Western Conference with a record of 36-26. They are a game ahead of the Thunder and were hoping to hold onto their current seed to get home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Next: 30 best NBA players who never won a championship

A lengthy spell on the sidelines for Butler would all but kill Minnesota’s hope for home court advantage. The former Marquette man has been having one of the best seasons of his career since being traded this past summer, averaging 22.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 5.0 apg, and shooting 36 percent from deep.