CHICAGO -- If the at No.5 seeded Chicago Bulls were to upset the No.1-ranked Miami Heat in their Eastern Conference playoffs semifinal today at the Miami Airlines Arena, they will have to do it without do-it-all small forward Luol Deng.
The 6-foot-9 Deng, who is averaging 13.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in these playoffs, hasn't flown to Miami to join the Bulls. He is still in Chicago suffering from complications of a spinal tap that was administered to test for viral meningitis, which proved negative. Deng spent most of Saturday at the Rush University Medical Center and he is questionable for Game 2.
Kirk Hinrich did not join the Bulls in Monday morning's shoot-around and is also doubtful for Game 1, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The Bulls are already without superstar Derrick Rose, who is still dealing with the mental aspect of his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
"They know I'm putting everything I have on trying to come back as fast as possible. Just trying to be smart with the whole situation. Just taking my time," Rose told the Chicago Tribune.
The Heat-Bulls series is a best-of-7 affair. The Bulls entered this second round showdown with a Game 7 win over the Brooklyn Nets while the Heat swept the hapless Milwaukee Bucks. (MM)
Comments
Share your thoughts on the above article by Maria Macatangay.