Good news, Chicago Bulls fans: Jimmy Butler remains day-to-day with his right heel contusion, meaning he’ll be a game-time decision until he actually plays, meaning he should be fine in due time, meaning your team doesn’t have too much to worry about.
Bad new, though: Butler sounds like he’s in more than day-to-day pain.
Per ESPN.com’s Nick Friedell:
Fred Hoiberg says Butler is day-to-day. Butler said his heel is about a "6" on the pain tolerance scale. https://t.co/zmcEvvk3bv
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) February 5, 2017
In the days of head coach Tom Thibodeau, a grade of “6” on the pain-tolerance scale probably ends with Butler playing against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night. But it’s a new era in Chicago, one that’s been met by resistance, yet still doesn’t try pushing every player’s pain threshold.
Maybe Butler feels better by opening tip on Monday night, or by the time the Bulls take the court for Wednesday’s date with the Golden State Warriors. Or maybe he won’t, but will play anyway. The urgency level in Chicago is that high.
Just two games separate the Bulls from a lottery finish right now, and their net rating plummets by 9.9 points per 100 possessions whenever Butler takes a seat, according to NBA.com. If he’s forced to miss two or three or more games, he could return to a team that has, at least momentarily, fallen out of the Eastern Conference’s playoff bubble.
