Skip to main content

The Chicago Bulls and their fans held their breath after All-Star wingman DeMar DeRozan went down while trying to drive past Boston Celtics big man Al Horford in the early moments of the third quarter of Monday night's game. 

DeRozan has been listed as questionable for Wednesday's matchup against the Washington Wizards, but with how tricky this kind of injury is, the Bulls may have to make do without one of the league's premier scorers. To complicate matters further, backup forward Javonte Green underwent knee surgery and won't be available for the next few weeks.

Quad strain

DeRozan's injury occurred with eight minutes and 27 seconds remaining in the third as he tried to take advantage of the mismatch on the perimeter against the bigger Horford. However, DeRozan slipped and immediately held his quad. He got up and played a couple of more minutes before exiting and retreating to the locker room for good.

DeRozan was diagnosed with a strained right quad, and it remains to be seen whether he'll be able to play on Wednesday. The five-time All-Star has yet to miss a single game this season, and his absence will be a huge blow for the Bulls, considering he averages 26.1 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game this season.

Javonte Green out with a knee injury

In addition to DeRozan's injury, the Bulls were dealt another blow when it was announced that backup forward Javonte Green had undergone debridement surgery on his right knee. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks, which means the versatile 6-foot-4 forward will be out for a while. 

Green's troublesome knee has caused him to miss 13 games so far this season.

His absence is a tough pill to swallow, considering he is a trusted member of Billy Donovan's bench rotation. Green averaged 5.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game in 16 minutes of action on average and provided great energy off the bench when called upon.