Feb. 06--Jimmy Butler isn't too fond of missing basketball games so the guard said he will return to the lineup when the Chicago Bulls they face the Denver Nuggets on Friday night at the Pepsi Center.
Butler missed his first game of the season Wednesday in Sacramento after a knee-to-knee collision Monday night against the Jazz in Utah but was good to go against the Nuggets.
"My knee is feeling good," Butler said following the Bulls' shootaround Friday.
There will be no limitations on playing time, according to Butler.
"If I'm getting out there on the court I'm giving my all," he said. "I don't like minutes restrictions, I don't like, 'hey, we're going to change this up.' I'm going to play the same way I've always been playing so if I'm on a minutes restriction I don't think I'm going to be playing."
Butler leads the NBA in minutes at 38.3 per game and said he feels a responsibilty to teammates to play in every game.
"Yeah, because I love this group of guys," Butler said. "I love this game and the city of Chicago so anytime I can play I want to play. If I can't then I won't because I know that it's more than just one game but I don't ever want to sit out. I don't ever want to be limited on how much or how hard I can go. I always give my all when I'm out there."
"Your body is going to be worn down if you play," Butler added. "It's hard with as many minutes as I've played but that's what the offseason is for, is to break your body down so you can handle it whenever you're tired. But you know whenever you have something that you can barely move with that's a different story."
Pau Gasol did not play due to an injury to his left hand suffered during the Bulls' 107-102 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.
"(Gasol) still has a lot of pain in his hand and isn't really able to do much with it," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. 'He can't catch it. He's having trouble with flexion in his hand."
The Bulls play the Timberwolves on Saturday night in Minnesota and Hoiberg said it's possible Gasol will return for that game.
"We'll see," Hoiberg said. "He's actually made quite of bit of progress. He couldn't move it at all after the game and the next morning it was very sore. So he's made progress from where he was initially and Pau in the past has been a quick healer so we'll re-evaluate him (Saturday).
In his place, Cameron Bairstow made his second career start and 12th appearance of the season. Bairstow entered the game with a 0.9 scoring average per game.
"He's a kid that always keeps himself ready," Hoiberg said. "We sent him down to the D-League for a stint this year and I thought he played well. Every day he brings it. He's a smart kid who's not going to go out there and make mistakes. The big thing is we need another big in our rotation. We're confident in Cam and I think everybody in that locker room is as well."
Meanwhile, Mike Dunleavy dressed for the game for the first time this season after undergoing back surgery just prior to training camp but the veteran guard said he is likely to make his season debut against the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Saturday night.
"We'll see how the travel goes (Friday night) and how I wake up and feeling," Dunleavy said. "I know I'm getting closer."
