Bulls' Butler Week-To-Week With Toe Injury

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Nov 21, 2013 7:20PM

As the Bulls embark on their annual "circus trip," they'll be departing without one of their starting five. Shooting guard Jimmy Butler suffered a "turf toe" injury during Monday's home win over Charlotte and MRI results showed a sprain to the right big toe.

The initial prognosis is "week-to-week," so Butler will remain in Chicago for treatment and rehab while the team spends the rest of the month on the road. Beginning tonight in Denver, the Bulls also hit Portland, Los Angeles to play the Clippers and Utah out West before visiting division rivals in Cleveland and Detroit. When Derrick Rose had a similar injury in 2011-12, he missed five games. Carlos Boozer actually played through turf toe in the 2011 playoffs though he was noticeably affected.

With Butler out of the line-up, coach Tom Thibodeau could start either Kirk Hinrich or Mike Dunleavy in his place. Given how well Hinrich and Derrick Rose have played together on the court of late, Hinrich is likely to get the initial nod. Regardless of who starts, both can expect to see greater playing time. Butler has played an average of 30 minutes a game, averaging 11.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and a team-high 1.78 steals while playing his typically tough defense. When asked what the team will miss most without Butler, Hinrich replied "His versatility defensively, he can guard so many different positions. He's one of our better athletes on the wing so really just his versatility. He does so much for us."

Having played with just an eight man rotation for most of the season, Thibs may need to extend his bench as Chicago plays four games in five nights. Bench players like Marcus Teague or Tony Snell may get the opportunity to step up and play more minutes and prove they are worthy of joining the regular rotation. Butler's own emergence came last season when he was called upon to step up in the wake of a Luol Deng injury.