Bulls center Vucevic misses game against Hawks because of groin and hip injury

Updated Dec. 26, 2023 7:28 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Bulls center Nikola Vucevic missed Tuesday night's game against the Atlanta Hawks because of bruised muscles around his left hip and groin, leaving Chicago without two star players.

Coach Billy Donovan said Vucevic had an MRI on Tuesday. Donovan was not sure how long the two-time All-Star will be out.

Vucevic was hurt trying to defend a dunk by Cleveland's Max Strus during the Bulls' loss to the Cavaliers on Saturday. Strus' right knee struck Vucevic in the groin area.

Vucevic, averaging 16.7 points and 10.4 rebounds, missed his first game this season. He played in all 82 games last year.

The Bulls host Joel Embiid and the 76ers on Saturday and play at Philadelphia on Jan. 2. Not having Vucevic for those games would obviously be a big blow for Chicago.

Zach LaVine, meanwhile, started doing some light cutting on Tuesday. He missed his 13th consecutive game because of inflammation in his right foot.

“He's still got to ramp up a lot more in terms of the cutting and movement, but the process of that has started,” Donovan said.

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