DeRozan may miss first game due to injury for Bulls on Wednesday
DeMar DeRozan hasn't missed a game with an actual injury since joining the Bulls.
That streak is in jeopardy after he suffered a right quadriceps strain in the third quarter of Monday's loss at Boston. The Bulls listed DeRozan as questionable for Wednesday's game at Washington.
Meanwhile, the Bulls announced Javonte Green will undergo an arthroscopic debridement of his right knee on Wednesday. He'll be re-evaluated in roughly two weeks and could obviously be out much longer.
Green has missed the last five games and 13 of the last 19 with right knee soreness. Two attempts to return from the injury weren't sustainable.
DeRozan appeared to trip on the foot of Celtics forward Al Horford. He fell to the court in some pain, tried to stay in the game, but retreated to the locker room about a minute later and did not return.
"I thought I got tripped," DeRozan said after the game, according to bulls.com. "They said they didn't think I did. I didn't trip over the parquet (floor). I didn't want to feel like I was worsening it, weighing the team down in any way."
DeRozan is literally the top ironman of his era. Since he entered the league for the 2009-10 season, no one has played in more games.
DeRozan leads the list with 998 games played, according to Statmuse.com, followed by Russell Westbrook with 977, Thad Young with 971, James Harden at 966 and DeAndre Jordan at 955. LeBron James is sixth on that list.
"My quad has been sore, it's been bothering me," DeRozan said. "It's been bothering me for eight games, I just never said anything. I do a lot of things nobody don't know. To me, we go through so much stuff, you've just got to deal with it.
"In my mind, as long as nothing is torn or broke I try to feel like I can play through almost anything. It wasn't anything too serious to be overly concerned about. Just one of those things. Uncomfortable right now, I just don't want it to linger and keep worrying about."
The Bulls lost 107-99 in Boston, but managed to rally from a 16-point deficit without DeRozan. Zach LaVine scored 15 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, and missed a 15-foot jumper with 46 seconds left that would have tied the score.
While the Bulls have won eight of their last 12 games to move closer to playoff contention, LaVine and DeRozan have found a good balance. In the last eight games, that pair has combined to score at least 35 points six times. The Bulls did not practice Tuesday.
"Ice, get treatment all night tonight, tomorrow, we'll just see," DeRozan said. "I play through a lot that maybe I don't mention. My whole career I've been stubborn when it comes to always wanting to be out there and on the floor. Just make sure I'm good and close to myself by the time of the next game or whatever. I'm taking it day by day."
The Bulls have three games left before heading to Paris for a game against the Pistons next Thursday, which will be their only game in a span of seven days, so there will be time for everyone to rest. Monday's game marked the halfway point of the regular season.
"We've been coming together offensively and defensively, communicating, challenging each other, holding each other accountable," DeRozan said of the Bulls' recent surge. "I feel we're going to continue to build on that and up our confidence. Turn it up and take advantage of everything we've learned from these first 41 games."
DeRozan missed six games last season - four in health and safety protocols, while he saying he experienced no COVID symptoms; and two for rest.