Nikola Mirotic Has Quad Strain, Swollen Knee

Things got chippy at the end of Game 2 between the Bucks and the Bulls. With Chicago well on their way to taking a 2-0 series lead, Bucks center Zaza Pachulia went after Nikola Mirotic twice in a matter of minutes. Pachulia was ejected after elbowing Mirotic in the face in the video seen above, and could be looking at a suspension.

But Mirotic left the game shortly after and his status for Game 3 is uncertain. According to ESPN Chicago, Mirotic has a left quad strain, swollen left knee and a possible concussion:

While it’s unclear when Mirotic injured his knee, he did get caught under a big pile as he and Pachulia grappled on the floor. He was taken out of the game immediately after the scuffle and was looked at by Bulls trainer Jeff Tanaka on the bench. Mirotic headed to the locker room before the final buzzer to get ice and treatment.

 

“Hopefully it won’t be anything serious,” Bulls big man Pau Gasol said. “I think Zaza had a couple of bad plays, not basketball plays. He got penalized with technicals, but just got to protect players.”

 

Bulls veteran Mike Dunleavy said he didn’t have a clear view of the incidents, but none of the Bulls seemed surprised by the physical play and intensity of Game 2.

 

“Obviously the ref saw something on the first one, an elbow or whatever it was,” Dunleavy said. “And then the second one, it was a loose ball on the floor and it’s like a football scrum. You get underneath the pile, who knows what happens? So it was one of those, but I didn’t get a clear look at either one of them.”

Mirotic has been a Rookie of the Year candidate, averaging 10 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. The Bulls are going to need him if they want to make a deep run in the postseason.