NBA - Injury woes continue to hound Bulls

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bulls just couldn't catch a break.

Power forward Taj Gibson, who lights the Bulls bench with the fire of his enthusiasm, joined the long list of ailing players Tuesday night when he reinjured his left knee in the second quarter of Chicago's 90-86 loss to the Wizards at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C.

"It's difficult to put pressure on it. Hopefully, it's not as bad as before. But it's real painful. It's all about how it's going to feel Wednesday. I hope there's no swelling," the 27-year old Gibson told the Chicago Tribune. Gibson missed two weeks of play after spraining the MCL on his left knee in late February. An MRI will determine how long Gibson will be out this time.

The 6-foot-9, 225-pound Gibson was signed to a four-year contract extension worth $38 million last October. He is averaging 7.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in 63 games played this season. Already without Derrick Rose (ACL rehab), Marco Belinelli (abdominal strain), Joakim Noah (plantar faciitis) and Richard "Rip" Hamilton (lower back spasms), Gibson's loss "is another big blow" said teammate Kirk Hinrich.

With a 40-33 win-loss record, the Bulls are currently 6th in the Eastern Conference. If they stay in that spot come playoffs time, they will have no homecourt advantage in a first round, seven-game series opposite their bitter rivals the Indiana Pacers, who are running away with the Central Division title at 48-27. (KB)