Butler expects to return before playoffs: 'I plan on doing it'

Jimmy Butler isn't willing to sit around and let his team fight for the postseason without him.

The Minnesota Timberwolves swingman has been out since Feb. 23 when he suffered a torn meniscus in a non-contact play against the Houston Rockets that required surgery. While Butler's original timeline suggested he would only miss four-to-six weeks, the 28-year-old is adamant he will be back before the end of the regular season on April 11.

"Oh yeah, oh yeah, I plan on doing it," Butler said, courtesy of NBA.com's Kyle Ratke. "I can't give you the exact date, but I want to come back and I want to help. I want to play."

While the Timberwolves undoubtedly want Butler to return only when he's 100-percent healthy, they could use his presence in the lineup as soon as possible in order to secure a playoff spot.

After a loss to the Houston Rockets Sunday, Minnesota now holds the eighth and final playoff spot in a volatile Western Conference, sitting just 1.5 games above both the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets, who are ninth and 10th, respectively.