Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose will need surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee and will be sidelined indefinitely, the NBA team said Saturday.
The Bulls had been anxiously awaiting the results of medical tests after Rose was hurt in Friday’s 98-95 loss at Portland on Friday night.
“Subsequent examinations and an MRI confirmed a medial meniscus tear to his right knee, which will require surgery,” the Bulls said in a statement on their official Twitter feed.
“Rose is out indefinitely, and will not accompany the team on the rest of its current road trip.”
It’s heartbreaking news for Rose, the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player who missed all of last season following surgery on a torn ligament in his left knee.
Rose tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a play-off game on April 28, 2012 and didn’t play again until the opening night of this season.
Rose was averaging 15.4 points and 4.4 assists per game going into Friday’s contest, but was shooting just 36 per cent from the floor.
He showed flashes of his former MVP form on Friday, but late in the third quarter, when a pass from team-mate Joakim Noah was picked off by Nicolas Batum, Rose stepped awkwardly as he tried to get back on defence and hyper-extended his right knee.
After hobbling to the bench he was helped the locker room. He later left the arena on crutches.
“He has in pain and it felt like he couldn’t push off his right knee,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game.
The Bulls are scheduled to play the Clippers in Los Angeles on Sunday.
