Butler’s right knee injury sparks widespread concern! Two leading medical experts initially diagnose the same issue: anterior cruciate ligament damage.

On January 20th Beijing time, in the NBA regular season match between the Warriors and the Heat at home, Jimmy Butler suffered a knee injury in the third quarter. Both top medical specialists initially agreed it might be an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

With just over seven minutes left in the third quarter, Butler fell to the floor while battling for possession with Donovan Mitchell. He immediately grabbed his knee in pain. The Warriors called a timeout right away, and the team doctor, teammates, and coach Kerr rushed over to check on him. Butler stayed on the floor for a long time before being helped off by teammates to the locker room for further treatment. He couldn’t put weight on his right leg, but before leaving the court, the resilient Butler managed a heartbreaking smile.

Before exiting due to injury, Butler had an impressive performance, scoring 17 points, grabbing 3 rebounds, dishing out 3 assists, and making 2 steals in 20 minutes on the court, shooting 6 of 11 from the field.

Following this, two well-known medical experts provided their initial assessments of Butler’s injury.

Medical expert Brar wrote: “Though the footage isn’t very clear, judging by the injury mechanism and his reaction, my first thought is an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The team doctor can confirm this with a Lachman test. I sincerely pray for Jimmy and hope he recovers safely.”

Medical expert Brian commented: “My immediate reaction to Butler’s injury is that the ACL is involved. Although there’s no obvious sign of tibial displacement or a rebound effect, which is somewhat fortunate, the angle at which his knee bent is truly distressing.”

Butler’s exact injury status still requires further examinations such as MRI scans. It’s worth noting that Butler previously suffered a right knee meniscus tear in 2018 and a right knee medial collateral ligament sprain in 2024.