Let the chorus of “I told you so’s” begin: Carlos Boozer is on the shelf for approximately eight weeks due to a fracture of the fifth metacarpal on his right hand. It will require surgery to repair and rebab to make right.
Booz hasn’t even played a preseason game yet.
The injury didn’t happen during some grueling practice session either. He wasn’t viciously dunking over a vision of Chris Bosh or anything. No, Boozer earned himself an entry in the Basketbawful Dumb Injury Hall of Shame with this one. As reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:
“I was at my house, came around a corner, fell over a bag, put my arm down to try to brace myself and fractured my fifth metacarpal into three pieces. I’ll get surgery on Tuesday, do my rehab and conditioning, be around the guys.”
He tripped over…a bag?
“It was just dark. My doorbell had rang and I tripped over a bag, tried to brace myself and it popped. I jumped back up, opened the door and my hand was still a little bit numb.”
No, really. A bag?
“It was a big bag I had first thing over here at the hotel for training camp. I went back to my place, hadn’t unpacked the bag yet, came around the corner, running to get the door and fell over it. I’m 265, 5 percent body fat. I’m heavy, man. I guess I had to brace myself and my weight just collapsed the bone right there.”
Seriously, Carlos?
“At least it happened right now and not later in the season.”
As Johnson pointed out, an eight-week absence means Boozer won’t return until after the Bulls’ annual Circus Trip in November…which concludes with a brutal seven-game Western Conference road trip that features two sets of back-to-backs and consecutive games against the Rockets, Spurs, Mavericks, Lakers, Suns and Nuggets.
The point: Boozer may miss “only” 15 games, but they will likely be the hardest 15 games of the season. Nine playoff teams and an extended road trip against strong competition. This feels like an entry out of the Worst Case Scenario Handbook for Injuries to Carlos Boozer.
There’s no way to sugarcoat this. About the only worse time for Boozer to get injured would be right before or during the playoffs. Boozer represented an answer to Chicago’s biggest problems. The Bulls needed an inside presence and another consistent scorer to relieve the burden on Derrick Rose. Management dropped a lot of money to make that problem go away.
And here it is again.
There’s another possible (and rather dark) downside to this injury. As Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don’t Lie noted: “The long term diagnosis could be much nastier. Boozer is right handed, and while he’s also known for being one of the best left-handed finishers in basketball, his remarkable mid-range shooting prowess is done exclusively right-handed.”
Oy. The thought makes my head hurt.
However, “Doctor” Boozer seems more optimistic: “I’ll be back stronger than ever and my hand will be just fine. Right when it heals up, they’ll slide pins out and move forward.”
All we can do is wait and see.
In the interim, the Bulls are going to require some major production from Taj Gibson at the power forward position. During his rookie season, Gibson nearly averaged a double-double (9.0 PPG and 7.5 RPG) in limited minutes (26.9 MPG). He’s a smart kid who gives consistent effort, finishes reasonably well around the basket, and can stick the midrange jumper (although he knocked down only 37 percent of his shots from 16-23 feet). He’s also a very good defender.
Unfortunately, as good as Gibson is, and as good as I think he can be someday, he’s no Boozer. He simpy doesn’t have the same presence in the post. But at the moment, Gibson seems undaunted: “I don’t have to try to play like Carlos. I’ll play my game and help the team any way I can.”
In addition to liberal helpings of Gibson, coach Tom Thibodeau may play Joakim Noah at power forward while using either Omer Asik or Kurt Thomas at center in big lineups. He might also Luol Deng at power forward in smaller lineups. So there are options.
Of course, these aren’t options that many Bulls fans are likely to be thrilled about. I would say most people have fully absorbed the disappointment of no landing one of this summer’s “White Whales” and instead watching LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh form a team of Super Friends in Miami. Boozer was the spoonful of sugar that helped that medicine go down.
Without him, the 2010-11 Bulls have a distinct 2009-10 feel. That may not seem quite fair. After all, management acquired other complimentary players too (Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Watson). But Boozer was the centerpiece of the New Bulls, no less than second (to Rose) or third (to Rose and Noah) in importance.
I don’t know if we’re in store for 15-ish games of contested, long-distance, two-point jump shots…but it sure feels that way. And that could cost the Bulls homecourt advantage in the 2011 playoffs. I don’t mean to forecast so far ahead, but it’s a possibility that Bulls fans should probably accept now.
In the meantime, this does nothing to dispel the many “Boozer is injury prone” theories. I mean, anybody can have an accident at home. However, as Dwyer pointed out, “if the 15-games estimate is correct, this will mean a whopping 153 games missed to injury over the last seven seasons, and counting.” So if an accident was going to happen, you’d naturally assume it would happen to Boozer, right?
What’s the deal, Carlos? Are you cursed?
“I don’t feel like I’m cursed, just bad luck. I’ll get a new bag though. And I’ll have someone else answer the door.”
Good plan.
Why was he running to get the door? Did he order a strip-o-gram and he was just that excited? How big was this bag? Why didn’t he jump over it? Who else was in the place with him? Couldn’t he have told someone else to get the door?
Reinsdorf should accidentally forget to pay Booz while he’s out injured.
This sucks.
wow wow wow…so pissed.
let’s get melo for sure now…only this time include Boozer in the trade talks.
i know the season has not begun, but seriously? he’s well on his way to becoming a disappointment in my book. i said it earlier – if he can play in 70+ games and maintain his career averages, it will be a success…yeah, forget about that now.
I found out about this while watching the god awful Bears game. Talk about a major ouch.
Until proven on the court otherwise, I suggest a new (and hopefully temporary) nickname for Mr. Boozer: “Douche Bag”. The PA announcer can yell out “Doooouche” instead of “Boooooze” with an accompanying sound of a flushing toilet, every time Carlos dunks.
Soooo here we go again, it has begun. First Brewer, now Boozer. If I were Thibodeau I would wrap Korver in a bubble and don’t let anyone/anything near him.
the Chicago Jazz are off to a depressing start.
They say he broke his “fifth metacarpal bone”. its in his pinky finger.
the ONLY line in wikipedia under Clinical Significance is:
“This is the most common bone to be injured when throwing a punch. (See Boxer’s fracture)”
… unless he tripped over this bag while on his way to punching the floor I highly doubt a bag had anything to do with this injury.
… idiot
There’s a 0% chance this story actually holds weight. He has a history of lying/backstabbing/douchebaggery. (See: Cleveland Cavaliers, Summer 2004) I’m willing to bet that Carlos broke his hand pummeling a small child and/or kitten. What an idiot.
At least we aren’t paying him $80 mil.
Let the flashbacks of Ben Wallace begin…
agreed…i call BS on this story.
While it is bad luck, the team without Boozer is still much better than last year. If Gibson plays his game, the front court is still talented. The bench is still much improved. Of course this means that we will probably see Scalabrine on the court for the short term (lol). It is a disappointment that will make us wait to see what the final product will be like.
this will help in gibson’s development and make our bench even stronger when boozer is back and fully recovered….im still optimistic about the season as a whole…screw the circus trip
The bulls really couldnt find ANY other servicable big men to sign other than scalabrine? … at all? … Lou Amundsen is a high energy guy, dampier is a big body, the lakers token champion bench player mbenga or whoever, just about anyone thats NOT scalabrine can bring something to the bulls. Im praying he doesnt make it out of camp.
This is exactly why I said right after Boozer was signed that Gibson would most likely not be included in any trade package because Boozer is just too injury prone. A solid backup at power foward is a must! And when you look at Gibson’s productivity, his defense, and what he’s getting paid, he’s an incredible bargain!
The Bulls will be fine. The Bulls have a good amount of depth, and are still better this year than they were last year, even without Boozer (and they were a playoff team last year). But they certainly need Boozer if they expect to compete for a 3rd or 4th seed.
For those of you that think Brewer is seriously injured and that Boozer is going to be non-productive after full recovery from a side bone is an idiot. Bulls have a deep team that will win without him and when he does come back after 15 games, Bulls will definitely be much better. Boozer is always going to be productive. +50 win season is a high percentage for Bulls this year. No your team if you don’t know them yet. Everyone has accidents, and its good he had it now. Most likely, when Boozer returns, he will stay healthy through most the season if not all the season.
Depressing, as we don’t get to see our full potential from the start, but not a deal-breaker. I, too, was wondering why Amundson and, particularly Dampier got no play from the Bulls.
Of course it’s BS. These are professional athletes, they’re some of the most coordinated people on the planet. There’s no way on earth he fell over a fuckin’ bag. No way, no how. He probably punched a wall in anger, or because he’d gotten liquored up and so they concoct a story to fit it. Fell over a bag my ass.
Just like all the football players who “accidentally” fell down because their dog tripped them, or they burned their hand making waffles and now they’re out 6 months. Right, sure.
AAAGGHH!!! The sound most of my new york neighbors were awakened 2 on the nite i read of this bull#!&% injury. and no1 here feels my pain. a part of me knew this was gonna happen
Already Boozer? u disappointed me again!
Come on! the season hasn’t started yet and u already got injured? Hopefully “knock on wood” this does not happen AGAIN!!!
Like I said before I was one of those fans rooting for Chris Bosh or David Lee for the Bulls to acquire this summer.
The reasons why I was going to be happy with either of these guys is because both of them are younger then Boozer, they will both drop consistent numbers every night, play hard and STAY HEALTHY throughout the season without them missing lots of games!
Plus David Lee would have came out much cheeper if we would have sign him and Chris Bosh is a better over all player then Boozer.
I was going to be happy with either one of these guys*
@15…..dont say knock on wood. boozer might break a finger
Looks like the Deer will lead the Central Division this year instead of the Bulls. -_-
Welcome to the Jazz world neh?
the bulls should suspend Bozo for stupidity.
Don’t hope for Dampier…you may as well hope for Boozer to break his other hand
why do we get rid of everyone so we can afford to overpay someone who’s constantly injured
Dj where do you get your information, Boozer is a year older then David Lee and Lee signed for 6 years 80 million. Boozer is 5 years 75 million. Boozer is worth that extra 1.5 mill a year and his deal is a year shorter. We would’ve had to match or top that offer to get him. Plus the Warriors gave up young talent in a sign and trade. Everyone in Toronto will disagree with you about Bosh. Colangelo publicy stated that he thought Bosh dogged it for them last year and only cared about his contract. Check his games played before you say he’ll stay healthy. He’s had two seasons in his career where he’s played more then 70 games. Boozer was the right move at the time.
But if the Bulls trade for Rudy Fernandez ten they will cake walk to the Championship (rolls eyes).
There is a big possibility that he punched a wall due to his ongoing divorce. He must be so angry or frustrated at that time. There is no way that he broke his hand tripping over a bag, even a non-athletic guy or wimpiest weakling, that thing will never happen. Just hate it when you’re lied to, what does the Bulls management think of the fans? that stupid?