Chicago Bulls shooting guard DeMar DeRozan left Monday’s game versus the Boston Celtics due to a quadriceps injury and did not return.
DeRozan tweaked the injury after landing on Al Horford’s foot. He went down for a few minutes and played through the pain momentarily until leaving the game for good.
Now DeRozan has left the court to the locker room. Hopefully just a little tape on the ankle? pic.twitter.com/MGw6pXguIj
— ✶ Ⓜ️𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕤 ▶️ ✶ (@_MarcusD3_) January 10, 2023
Depending on the severity of the injury, DeRozan could be sidelined for as many as six weeks.
A Grade 1 quadriceps strain would cost the Bulls guard 1-2 weeks but that timeline could be extended anywhere from 3-6 weeks for a Grade 2 sprain.
Prior to getting hurt, DeRozan had been playing well. He finished with 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the 107-99 loss.
According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, DeRozan is being considered “day-to-day”.
Already without guard Lonzo Ball, Chicago will be forced to lean more on Coby White, Alex Caruso, and veteran Goran Dragic in DeRozan’s absence.
DeRozan’s health will be a key factor in determining Chicago’s playoff chances. If he misses significant time, there is a chance that the Bulls will be out of postseason contention in the Eastern Conference, making him a potential candidate to be moved at the trade deadline.
DeRozan Has Been The NBA’s Iron Man Over The Last Decade
Since 2009-10, no NBA player has been more durable than DeRozan.
The Bulls guard has played in 997 regular season games since then, 21 more than the next-highest player (Russell Westbrook).
A marksman from inside the arc, DeRozan also leads the NBA in 2-point field goals over the last 10 years.
In 40 games this season, the 33-year-old is averaging 26.4 points per game to go along with 5.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists per contest. He also led the NBA in 2-point field goals with 189.
The Bulls currently sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 19-22 overall record.
Chicago will play two of its next three games at home before travelling to Paris, France for a matchup versus the Detroit Pistons.
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