The Chicago Bulls are rapidly falling in the Eastern Conference playoff standings, and things took a turn for the worse on Tuesday as the team made an announcement about Jimmy Butler’s knee injury.
According to the Bulls, Butler will be out three to four weeks with a strained left knee that he suffered against the Denver Nuggets on Friday. That timetable means that Butler will not participate in this weekend’s NBA All-Star Game in Toronto.
Butler, who signed a five-year contract extension with the Bulls before the 2015-16 season, has quickly become the team’s go-to player, and he’s playing up to that level this season. He is averaging 22.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, and with the team dealing with a myriad of other injury issues, he has been one of their most consistent performers.
The Bulls also are playing without Joakim Noah, who was lost for the season with a shoulder injury, and Nikola Mirotic, who is recovering after having his appendix removed. Derrick Rose also missed Monday’s loss to the Charlotte Hornets as he deals with general body soreness.
