Chicago Bulls power forward Lauri Markkanen suffered an ankle injury late in Saturday night's 111-104 loss to the Boston Celtics. It is now being reported that the 7-foot big man has suffered an ankle sprain:
Initial examination shows Lauri Markkanen suffered sprained left ankle, per source. Bulls at Mavericks Monday. Markkanen’s playing status updated later today.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 5, 2020
For now, it's unclear just how much time Markkanen will miss, if any. Ankle issues are quite complicated, but if this is nothing more than a minor sprain, the Finnish youngster could be back in action sooner rather than later. He is also just 22 years of age, so his recovery time should be quicker as compared to other veterans in the league. With a bit of luck, it is possible the Bulls have just dodged a bullet here.
One more thing that will need to be factored in is the Bulls are just three games outside the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference despite a 13-23 record. Chicago is still very much in the hunt for a postseason spot, which means Markkanen will want to be out on the court as much as possible as the team fights for position.
On the other hand, the Bulls will surely still play it safe with the Finn and will not force him back unless he is one hundred percent healthy. It's not as if Chicago will be competing for a championship this year, so there's just no point in forcing Markkanen back and risking his long-term health.
Lauri Markkanen finished Friday's loss to the Celtics with 15 points, four rebounds, an assist, a steal, and three 3-pointers in 29 minutes of action. He has been playing much better lately after an ugly slump to start the season, so hopefully he won't have to miss too much time.
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