"Caron Butler is gone. He's not going to help this so-far grand season any more, at least not beyond moral support from the bench.

The ruptured patella tendon in his right knee was surgically repaired Tuesday, and Butler is out for the season.

So now what?

How do the Mavericks replace 15 points per game and Butler's grit that was every bit as important as his offensive production?

"It's a blow," team president Donnie Nelson said. "Those are some big shoes to fill."

It's going to be a challenge for the Mavericks to plug the void. They were already having trouble scoring points, even with Butler, averaging 90 points in the last four games.

The attitude of Butler's teammates, coaches and fans going forward can't be one of a pity party. The league isn't going to send any sympathy cards, much less sympathy wins.

"He's such a big part of what we do," said forward Brian Cardinal. "The fans just see what he does on the court. They don't see the work he does in the locker room, in the weight room, all across the board. It's a tremendous loss.

"I feel bad for Caron. He's as devastated as anybody, because he knows what we have going here and what we're capable of. He wants to win the championship as much as anybody.

"But you can't have the poor-me mind-set."

Butler had surgery Tuesday morning. The procedure, performed by Mavericks physician Dr. T.O. Souryal, reattached the ruptured patella tendon, which runs from the kneecap to the tibia (shin bone).

While Butler will miss the rest of this season, he should be 100 percent before training camp begins in October. "