Jimmy Butler suffered a torn ACL in his right knee against the Miami Heat. That was his third major injury, all coming on that same knee. At 37, the last thing you want to go through is rehab for a season-ending ailment. Some of the community felt uneasy with Butler returning. But his resilience knows no bounds. It’s “general soreness” for the Warriors forward.

That’s how he joked about suffering an injury that could take out close to a year from the twilight of his career. But surreal optimism is exactly how Jimmy Butler approaches his basketball. It doesn’t matter what the norm suggests about tearing an ACL at 37. Although out for the entire season, the Warriors forward assured this isn’t goodbye from his end.

He didn’t need to say much. “Last night 44/82. Be back before you know it,” Jimmy Butler wrote on an Instagram post.

It’s not going to be as easy as it sounds. The process is intense, at times frustrating, and requires incredible discipline. However, if anything, Jimmy Butler thrives when the odds are against him. His mindset never wavers. The five-time All-NBA forward was forced into interrupting one of the best campaigns of his career.

Jimmy Butler averaged 20 points while playing with highly efficient basketball. He had only missed six games during the entire season, and was only a few nights removed from a 32-point night against the. It was the second thirty-point game in the span of four games, and looked certain for a third before his injury. Butler had 17 in just 21 minutes against his former team, the Miami Heat.

The Warriors’ finding a path to victory after the incident must have contributed to Butler’s optimism. Although suffering from inconsistency, Butler genuinely wishes to win with the Warriors. His relentless work ethic provides a sense of ease of him returning back to his caliber once he recovers. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s before the expected timeline with Jimmy Butler.