rayjayjohnson
12-15-2010, 10:06 PM
TORONTO -- Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah is likely to miss eight to 10 weeks due to ongoing issues with his right hand, the team announced after the Bulls' game Wednesday.
Noah will have surgery to repair a torn ulna collateral ligament in his right thumb.
Noah was in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors despite the injury.
The Bulls had been concerned there may be ligament damage in his right thumb, according to sources familiar with the situation. Bulls general manager Gar Forman told ESPNChicago.com before Wednesday morning's shootaround that the Bulls are still evaluating the situation and Noah will be re-examined once he returns to Chicago on Thursday.
When asked Wednesday about his thumb, Noah responded: "We're still evaluating to see what's wrong with it."
When asked specifically if there was any structural damage, Noah said: "I'm not sure yet. We'll find out [Wednesday night]."
Noah originally hurt the thumb in a 96-85 win over the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 27. After the game he began wearing a taped wrap over it, but he tweaked it again Dec. 4 in a 119-116 win over the Houston Rockets.
"He's got a couple things going on," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Basically all the big guys in the league go through this where their hands are constantly being raked, and it's hard to recover from it because it continues to happen when you're rebounding the ball or you're going for a shot and they're trying to strip. His shooting hand is nicked up."
Noah signed a five-year extension worth close to $60 million before the season. If he misses an extended period of time it would be a big blow to the Bulls, who go into Wednesday's game atop the Central Division with a 15-8 record.
Noah is averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds per game.
Derrick Rose also started against the Raptors after spraining his right hand against the Indiana Pacers on Monday.
http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/news/story?id=5922071
Sucks for the Bulls, that's a long time to be without your 3rd best player.
Noah will have surgery to repair a torn ulna collateral ligament in his right thumb.
Noah was in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors despite the injury.
The Bulls had been concerned there may be ligament damage in his right thumb, according to sources familiar with the situation. Bulls general manager Gar Forman told ESPNChicago.com before Wednesday morning's shootaround that the Bulls are still evaluating the situation and Noah will be re-examined once he returns to Chicago on Thursday.
When asked Wednesday about his thumb, Noah responded: "We're still evaluating to see what's wrong with it."
When asked specifically if there was any structural damage, Noah said: "I'm not sure yet. We'll find out [Wednesday night]."
Noah originally hurt the thumb in a 96-85 win over the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 27. After the game he began wearing a taped wrap over it, but he tweaked it again Dec. 4 in a 119-116 win over the Houston Rockets.
"He's got a couple things going on," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Basically all the big guys in the league go through this where their hands are constantly being raked, and it's hard to recover from it because it continues to happen when you're rebounding the ball or you're going for a shot and they're trying to strip. His shooting hand is nicked up."
Noah signed a five-year extension worth close to $60 million before the season. If he misses an extended period of time it would be a big blow to the Bulls, who go into Wednesday's game atop the Central Division with a 15-8 record.
Noah is averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds per game.
Derrick Rose also started against the Raptors after spraining his right hand against the Indiana Pacers on Monday.
http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/news/story?id=5922071
Sucks for the Bulls, that's a long time to be without your 3rd best player.