Bulls center Nikola Vucevic to miss time with groin strain
Already without their second-leading scorer in Zach LaVine, the Chicago Bulls now will be without starting center Nikola Vucevic for a stretch of games due to a groin strain.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan broke the news pregame Tuesday, saying an MRI confirmed Vucevic has a groin strain, as reported by K.C. Johnson at NBC Sports Chicago. He is expected to miss 4-10 days, a wide time range because groin strains are tricky and hard to predict.
Vucevic is averaging 16.7 points and 10.4 rebounds a game, and is fourth on the Bulls in scoring. The injury occurred against the Cavaliers when Max Strus dunked on Vucevic and swung his leg into him as part of the momentum of that move. Here was Donovan's quote on the situation, via Johnson.
"A lot of it is going to be how he responds to rehab. He obviously was pretty sore after (Saturday's) game and obviously over Christmas. He came in (Tuesday) for treatment."
Andre Drummond got his first start as a Bulls with Vucevic out. With Joel Embiid and the 76ers coming up on the schedule Saturday and Tuesday, expect Drummond to stay in the starting five. When Drummond comes off the floor Donovan said the Bulls will play small.
Vucevic's name has come up in trade rumors but is far down that list in Chicago behind Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso.
LaVine, who has been out with right foot inflammation, has started doing some "very, very light cutting" working towards his return, Donovan said.
