NBA teams
Nick Friedell, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Bulls' Taj Gibson sprains ankle

NBA, Chicago Bulls

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Chicago Bulls power forward Taj Gibson sprained his left ankle in the third quarter of Friday night's 105-87 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers and did not return.

The injury took place midway through the third, and Gibson fell to the floor writhing in pain. Moments after Gibson went down, the entire Bulls bench went out to check on the veteran forward. He was carried off the floor by teammates Nikola Mirotic and Nazr Mohammed and was barely putting any weight on the foot or ankle.

After the game, Gibson said X-rays taken on the ankle were negative. He came back into the Bulls' locker room on crutches and in a walking boot. Gibson said it was the same ankle he has had problems with over the past couple seasons and the same one he injured in the Bulls' home opener on Oct. 31 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Gibson said there is no timetable right now for his return.

"It's too early right now," he said. "I'm frustrated. Just re-aggravated it, just hurt it again. I'm just frustrated."

Gibson sounded as if he would be more cautious with his approach in regard to his return after his latest setback.

"It's the same lingering injury," Gibson said. "Just keep trying to play through it, trying to be there for my teammates. Just push through. All summer I was trying to rehab the same ankle and it just keeps flaring up. I keep having these little bum ankle turns. And I just took some time off from it and tried to rush back and this thing happened again. I'm just frustrated."

The entire episode must have felt like déjà vu for Bulls personnel. Friday's game is almost a year to the day since Derrick Rose tore the medial meniscus in his right knee against the Trail Blazers at the Moda Center.

Gibson said he spoke to Rose went he went back into the locker room, and Rose, like many of his teammates, stressed patience as it pertained to getting back on the floor.

"I have to be patient," Gibson said. "Just talking to Derrick, talking to the guys, I have to be patient. I'm trying to run out there to try and play through these things; we have a long season. But it's just the dog in me that wants to be out there and play, and I have to just learn from this."

The Bulls are already without Rose (strained left hamstring), Pau Gasol (strained left calf) and Kirk Hinrich (bruised ribs).

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