Carlos Boozer Dealing With Turf Toe

Added on Apr 27, 2011 by Scott in

NBA

The good news is the Bulls finally put away the pesky Pacers last night. The bad news is starting power forward Carlos Boozer suffered a turf toe injury. X-rays were negative, but Boozer “heard a pop” after going up for a shot in the second quarter. Once the toe is reevaluated, he’ll have five days for rest and rehab until Chicago takes the court again.

Boozer failed to make an offensive impact against the Pacers, averaging only 10.0 points on 35.8% shooting from the field. He also turned the ball over 14 times and was saddled with foul trouble in three of the five games. Disappointed by his recent struggles, Boozer remains confident he can turn it around.

“Everybody get frustrated a little bit,” he said. “But the biggest thing about us is we hold together as a group of guys, and we have one goal in mind, to win. And no matter what happens, as long as we win, that’s all that matters.”

Winning could prove a challenge in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, especially if Boozer is less than 100% or unable to play. Whether it’s Atlanta’s active front line or Dwight Howard’s inside power, the Bulls will need their bigs to contribute on both ends of the floor.

Boozer is capable of being a dominant force in the paint, but frequent lapses in aggressiveness and concentration, and various injuries have followed him throughout his professional career. The two-time All-Star was sidelined for 23 games this season and has been viewed as a defensive liability on occasion.

Turf toe can be a tricky thing to overcome. A few days of rest might be all he needs to get healthy. It’s also highly possible he could miss significant time or aggravate the injury while playing. The Bulls are hoping the layoff between now and Monday will provide Boozer the necessary duration to make a full recovery.

Source: ESPN.com