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The Minnesota Timberwolves have been trying to keep the ship steady without their main cog in All-Star forward Jimmy Butler, who has been out with a torn meniscus injury since Feb. 25.
Following a key loss to the Utah Jazz, who leapfrogged the Wolves for sixth place in the West, Butler is hopeful to make his return before the end of the regular season, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
On Sunday, he went through what head coach Tom Thibodeau described as a “heavy conditioning day” — slated to participate in five-on-five contact scrimmages this week, which Thibodeau called “the big thing.”
Butler will need to be able to move effortlessly and shed through contact in order to rejoin the team and make a push for the postseason, where players have been already in shape and ready to make it count.
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The 28-year-old has missed the team's last 16 games, in which they've managed to go only 8-8, falling from third to seventh place, with barely a half-game advantage over the eighth-place New Orleans Pelicans, who have had some struggles of their own.
Minnesota was short of starting point guard Jeff Teague in a 121-97 blowout loss to the Jazz on Sunday — a game in which the leadership of a veteran was much needed against the best defensive lineup in the league.
In 56 appearances, Butler is averaging 22.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.9 steals per game — shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from long-range.
