Philippines, 12 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Turf toe slows down Boozer


PhilBoxing.com





2011 NBA PLAYOFFS
Eastern Conference Semifinals

An MRI has confirmed a previous diagnosis that the injury sustained early this week by Carlos Boozer is indeed turf toe, an ailment defined by Wikipedia as "a surface level condition characterized by a painful, red, swollen great toe caused by inflammation of the tendons on both the dorsal and plantar surfaces."

The aching toe has forced the 6-foot-9 starter to miss team practices. But Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is confident that Boozer will be healthy enough in time for the Eastern Conference Semifinals, which opens with Game 1 this Monday night at the United Center.

"He's day-to-day, but I'm thinking he will be able to go," Thibodeau told Chicago reporters last Friday.

But that bit of pleasant medical update isn't necessarily good news for the No.1-seeded Bulls.

With an aching toe, Boozer can't be an effective power forward. He would only be a forward without power. The discomfort will limit his production on offense while the pain figures to curtail his movements and expose further his liabilities on defense.

Before he got hurt, the 266-pound Duke University alum was already going through a serious postseason funk. Like the economy, his scoring average is down to 10 points a game, a steep drop from the 17.2 points that he normed in 59 regular season games.

And like the jobs in the employment market, Boozer's confidence is hard to find.
Thanks in large to a string of early foul troubles that he ran into against the Pacers. Boozer was particularly awful in Game 5 of that series, where he managed only two points and five rebounds in 15 uneventful minutes of play.

Now, the good news. Even without Boozer at 100 percent, Chicago remains heavily favored against Atlanta in their best-of-7 Round 2 match-up.

The Bulls defeated the Hawks twice in the regular season, including a 114-81 pummeling last March 22 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, where the Bulls led by as many as 47 points. Yeah, that's not a misprint, it's really 47.

MAN DOWN. Another edge for the Bulls is the tragic news that former ally turned Hawks guard Kirk Hinrich may be out for the series after suffering a severe hamstring injury in his team's Game 6 clincher over Orlando.

Hinrich, the 30-year old former Bulls captain is widely recognized as Atlanta's best perimeter defender. Hinrich averaged only 10.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, but his poise and leadership is an invaluable asset to a young and upcomong team such as the Hawks.

But don't bet the house on Chicago just yet.

The Hawks are a confident bunch, riding on the crest of a solid outing against Dwight Howard and the now-vanquished Orland Magic. The Hawks possess a very potent offense led by Joe Johnson, who is averging 18 points a game in these playoffs.

Atlanta also has 6-foot-10 center forward Al Horford and streak shooters Josh Smith and Jamal Crawford, another ex-Bull. Zaza Pachula plays center-forward and part-time enforcer

In the final analysis, this series smells like a Rose, as in Bulls spitfire Derrick Rose. In Chicago's two triumphs over Atlanta in the regular season, Rose finished with a combined total of 64 points and 15 rebounds.

If the Hawks couldn't stop Rose in March and April, I don't see how they're gonna stop him in May. (HDS)

Top photo: Carlos Boozer #5 of the Chicago Bulls tries to hand the ball off to teammate Ronnie Brewer #11 as teammates Kwame Brown #54 and Stephen Jackson #1 of the Charlotte Bobcats try to stop them during their game at Time Warner Cable Arena on January 12, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Getty Images.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Homer D. Sayson.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Taylor vs. Serrano Trilogy: Can Amanda Get The Nod?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • BERLANGA-SHEERAZ, STEVENSON-CEPEDA, MORELL-KHATAEV MAKE WEIGHT IN NEW YORK
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • Johnny Spell Takes on Chancellor Batttenberg on Saturday, July 19th at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in Washington, PA
    , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • JV Tuazon, Ador Torres, Lemuel De Barbo, Jomar Fajardo Make Weight for Brico Santig's Highland Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Philippine Under-12 Girls Team Shines Bright, Clinches Multiple Medals at 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships in Penang
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Kenneth “Llover Boy” Takes on “El Nica” Concepcion Aug 17 on Gerry Peñalosa’s Show @ the Winford Resort and Casino Manila (Analysis)
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated junior middleweight prospect Anthony Velazquez won’t be Boxing’s best kept secret in 2026
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated Gabriela Tellez Returns July 18 at “Night of Champions” Live on DAZN
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Dushanbe hosts stacked fight card with Bakhodur Usmonov and Christopher Mouafo headlining IBA.Pro 8
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Shakur vs Zepeda & Morrell vs Khataev Fight Analysis
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Peñalosa To Test "Lover Boy" Llover Versus Accomplished Panamanian Veteran Concepcion
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Begins Brandenburg Cup Prep Camp
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Dream Fight: “Bam” Rodriguez vs “Puma” Martinez on the Horizon
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Perez vs Vivas Headlines All Star Boxing's Prueba de Fuego Card on July 25
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Christy Martin Promotions & Ringside Ticket Inc. Present ‘Lopez Vs. Vargas’ Welterweight Battle
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Vegas Fight Experience Where Authentic Sparring Meets Cinematic Vegas Energy
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • 4 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Erik Morales Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • SALITA PROMOTIONS SIGNS FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TONY HARRISON
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • FIGHT EMPIRE! TUAZON, ADOR, DE BARBO, JOMAR, AND MORE ARE READY FOR ACTION IN BRICO SANTIG'S EXCITING SHOW JULY 12 IN THAILAND
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Shakur Stevenson and David Morrell Face "Crossroad Fights" This Saturday in Queens
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Christy Martin’s “Mayhem in Music City 2” to Feature Undefeated Vic Hernandez Facing Jayvon Garnett for NABA & Jr. NABF Featherweight Championships
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • James Perkins & Anthony Andreozzi Headlines “Oceanside Prize Fights”
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • GORST PURSUES GOLDEN GLORY IN JEDDAH, DEFENDING WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN SAUDI ARABIA, 21–26 JULY
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Hovhannisyan and Barrientes Set for High-Stakes Showdowns July 18 on DAZN
    , Tue, 08 Jul 2025
  • UNBEATEN PROSPECT KENNETH LLOVER TO FACE FORMER TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION LUIS CONCEPCION IN MANILA
    , Mon, 07 Jul 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.