Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic is expected to be out until after the All-Star break following an appendectomy.
One of the noticeable trends that has been evident for the Chicago Bulls is their maddening tendency to play up or down to the level of their opponent. The most recent example being an impressive 96-83 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers followed up by a disappointing 89-84 loss to a short-handed Miami Heat ball club.
Unfortunately for the Bulls, that is not their only issue. Injuries have also played a major role, with Mike Dunleavy having yet to play a game and Joakim Noah lost for the season with a shoulder injury.
Along with that, second-year forward Nikola Mirotic will be out at least three weeks following a surgery to remove his appendix. According to ESPN, Mirotic was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and that the operation performed at Rush University Medical Center went as expected.
With the Bulls set to embark on a seven-game road trip, Mirotic’s absence from the lineup could not have come at a worse time for a team that has dropped seven of its last 10 games, including four consecutive losses at the United Center. And although Mirotic has had his fair share of struggles, shooting the ball at a 38.6 clip, he was beginning to show signs that he was breaking out of his recent slump.
In the Bulls’ win over the Cavaliers on Jan. 23, Mirotic poured in 17 points on an efficient 5-for-9 from the field and he connected on three of his five attempts from beyond the arc. A few nights later against the Heat, Mirotic scored 15 points (6-for-11 FG), grabbed eight rebounds and handed out two assists in 22 minutes of action.
Based on the last couple of outings, it appears that Mirotic was starting to rediscover his form with the second unit.
What this means:
The good news is that the appendicitis was discovered soon enough, which will allow Mirotic to make a full recovery. The bad news is that his absence removes a scoring option from what used to be a loaded frontcourt.
Furthermore, with Derrick Rose (hamstring/lower back), E’Twaun Moore (back) and Kirk Hinrich (quadriceps) dealing with injuries, first-year coach Fred Hoiberg will have do a lot of shuffling, as the number of healthy bodies is starting to dwindle.
Next: Joakim Noah Wants To Remain A Bull
For starters, this means increased roles for both Doug McDermott and Tony Snell, who have both played fairly well in stretches, but not on a consistent basis. In addition that, Mirotic’s absence could also provide an opportunity for seldom-used big men Cameron Bairstow and Cristiano Felicio to get some floor time as well.
While Hoiberg is no stranger to changing the lineup on short notice, an already difficult road trip just got a little bit tougher, with the team’s fourth-leading scorer on the shelf for the next few weeks.