Jimmy Butler Will Not Play vs. Raptors After Knee Injury Diagnosed as Soreness

The Minnesota Timberwolves announced that swingman Jimmy Butler will not play against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday because of a sore right knee.

Butler has now cropped up on the injury report twice this season after he missed the Timberwolves' 130-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 24 with an upper respiratory infection.

When healthy, Butler has operated in tandem with Andrew Wiggins to help comprise half of a star-studded perimeter duo.

Forty-five games into his first season in Minnesota, the three-time All-Star is averaging 21.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from three.

Butler has helped lead Minnesota to a 29-18 start, which is good for fourth in the Western Conference.

Largely because of Butler's arrival, the T'Wolves are on pace to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2003-04.

With Butler ailing once again, Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns should have no problem shouldering the primary scoring load against the Raptors, who are currently the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

As far as wing replacements are concerned, Marcus Georges-Hunt and Shabazz Muhammad could see additional playing time with sixth man Jamal Crawford also out for Saturday's game.