HOUSTON— Jimmy Butler will not play against the Houston Rockets Friday with a right heel contusion, an injury he suffered late in Wednesday’s win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Butler was seen walking with the Houston Rockets medical personnel to see about the severity of the injury one hour before gametime.
Butler missed two games earlier this season with an illness, so this is the first injury-induced absence for the Bulls’ All-Star this year. Butler had his foot wrapped up in the locker room after the win over the Thunder, but Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg didn’t allude to any injury concerns when asked about it after the morning shootaround and in the pregame.
Butler scored 28 in the last two wins as the Bulls have climbed back to .500, and was limping around during his warm-up session with associate coach Jim Boylen before the announcement came down.