Impact of Taj Gibson Injury

Chicago Bull’s second string forward Taj Gibson severely sprained his left ankle in Friday’s 105-87 loss to the Portland Trailblazers. X-rays came back negative, but Gibson was still sent back to Chicago this weekend and will not be traveling with the team for much or all of the remainder of the Bull’s circus west-coast road trip. Gibson told Chicago media that he is planning on taking a cautious approach to his recovery and won’t return until he is fully healed.

"“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.”"

Gibson stepped on the foot of Portland guard Wesley Matthews after going up for a shot in the 3rd quarter of Friday’s contest. He rolled around the court, in obvious pain, following the injury and had to be escorted off by two of his teammates. Following the game, Gibson was seen walking around in a walking boot.

Nov 21, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) is carried off the floor after an apparent injury during the third quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports

Gibson’s ankle mishap adds to a laundry list of injuries that have been piling up for the Bulls of late. Derrick Rose (hamstring) and Pau Gasol (calf) have missed significant time with their respective injuries. Second string guard Kirk Hinrich suffered a chest contusion against the Sacramento Kings and reports indicate that he is still in serious pain as a result of the injury.

The loss of Gibson is just as significant as any of the previous injuries because he has been a consistent contributor the entire season. He is the Bull’s best bench player and his absence will greatly impact the Bulls in a negative fashion. Lets dedicate this article to investigating how the absence of Taj Gibson from the line-up will impact the Bulls moving forward.

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Gibson’s game has evolved dramatically over the years, and this vast improvement is a testament to his work ethic. Gibson patterned his game after NBA legend Bernard King by meticulously watching highlights of the former New York Knick. Regarded when he was drafted as a high energy player whose main contributions would be on the defensive end, Gibson has transcended this mold with the offensive explosion that has marked the last three years of his career. He has developed a full repertoire of post moves and still has the knack for cleaning up errant shots around the bucket. Gibson doesn’t get enough credit for being a solid two-way big man, but his jump shot has really come along over the years. He has a variety of offensive skills that he uses to beat defenders and provides an offensive spark to the second unit with his high energy style of play.

Nov 17, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) and Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) battle for the loose ball during the first quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Gibson is noted around the league for being one of the best shot-blockers and defenders the NBA has. He is a versatile defender that can guard stretch big man on the wing or in the post. His high energy shot-blocking capabilities infuses the second unit with energy.

The loss of Gibson is huge for all of the above reasons. The second unit needs to commit on the defensive end because the loss of Gibson removes their defensive rock. Expect opponents’ second unit big men to potentially have a field day on whoever replaces Gibson (Mirotic or Mohammed). The Bulls lose a potent offensive threat as well with Gibson out and need to compensate offensively if they hope to hold their own without their best second-unit player. Gibson was the Bull’s sole post presence on that unit, and expect the Bulls to be a more perimeter oriented team that uses high pick and rolls to get to the basket rather than feeding it down to a big man in the post.

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If there is one silver-lining to Gibson’s injury, it would be that Nikola Mirotic will likely receive expanded minutes. This will give the former Euro-star an opportunity to earn Thibodeau’s trust and maybe even see his minutes stay significant even when Gibson recovers from his injury. This would be the best case scenario because Mirotic needs to play so that he can give some rest to Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol who both have been highly susceptible to injuries over the years.

Mirotic was the sole bright spot in the Bull’s embarrassing loss to the Portland Trailblazers. He played a season high 35 minutes and delivered with 24 points on 7 of 14 from the field. The transition for Mirotic is definitely moving along slowly, but Mirotic has shown flashes of crazy high potential in his minutes this season. The long wait for the European phenom was well worth it, as Mirotic has proved recently why many NBA scouts thought he would be a top 5 pick in the 2014 draft.

Nov 4, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) practices before the game against the Orlando Magic at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls continue to wage battle without some of their best players. The loss of Gibson is huge; they lose their best bench player and one of the leaders of the team. There is no doubt that the resilient Bull’s will overcome the injuries, however it isn’t a best case scenario obviously to have this many injuries at this point of the season. Gibson’s injury could further catalyze the development of Mirotic, which could be a blessing in disguise of sorts for the Bulls long term.

The Bulls continue their tough road trip this week with impending games against the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets.