As the Bulls left LA the other night after their eighth consecutive loss, it appeared that they were leaving all in one piece.
We found out from Jim Boylen yesterday that wasn’t necessarily true, as Wendell Carter Jr. suffered a thumb injury against the Lakers.
“Wendell Carter, Jr. had an MRI this morning. He hurt his left thumb last night and woke up with tenderness in his left knee this morning.” Coach Boylen
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 16, 2019
A few hours later, it was reported that the thumb injury was severe and would cost Carter weeks, if not months, of game action.
Wendell Carter Jr. is believed to have suffered gamekeeper’s thumb. Usually a 4-6 week recovery. Enjoy the downtime, Rook. Hits keep on coming.
— Sun-Times Basketball (@suntimes_hoops) January 16, 2019
Thankfully, in a season that’s had almost zero good news, our old pal K.C. Johnson reported that the initial diagnosis was incorrect after a second MRI.
Bulls dodge a bullet with encouraging news regarding Wendell Carter Jr.’s thumb injury as they prepare to face Nuggets with Jabari Parker back in rotation: https://t.co/DVqguc9Fix
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 17, 2019
According to Johnson Carter should be cleared to play any day now, but the team will likely take a conservative approach and sit him tonight against Utah as the Bulls wrap up their five-game road trip.