Jimmy Butler will miss 3-4 weeks with knee injury

The Bulls are clinging to a playoff spot and they received some bad news that will hurt their chances to retain it as Jimmy Butler is expected to miss 3-4 weeks with a knee injury, according to NBA.com.

The Bulls finally released a timeline on Jimmy Butler’s left knee injury. On Friday night against the Denver Nuggets, Butler suffered the injury in the second quarter, and while it looked as if he might be fine, he indeed was not and he even had to be wheeled off the court. If it takes closer to four weeks for Butler’s recovery, he’ll miss around 11 games. That means Butler will miss this weekend’s All-Star Game in Toronto, for which coaches voted him a reserve for the second straight season.

It’s just the latest in another string of injuries for Chicago.

Forward Nikola Mirotic has also been sidelined as he recovers from an appendectomy and a hematoma removal.

Butler is having the best season of his five-year career, averaging 22.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.3 apg and 1.7 steals. Point guard Derrick Rose also sat out Monday’s loss with general soreness.