DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah will miss the next eight to 10 weeks after having surgery on his right hand to repair a torn ligament.
The team said Noah had successful surgery on Thursday morning to repair the ulnar collateral ligament, which is the band of tissue attached to the middle joint of the thumb. He was hurt during Chicago’s win at Sacramento on Nov. 27.
Bulls athletic trainer Fred Tedeschi said surgery now avoids a more risky procedure later.
Even with the injury, Noah had 11 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes in the Bulls’ 110-93 win at Toronto on Wednesday night. The fourth-year player has career-best averages in points (14.0) and rebounds (11.7).
Second-year player Taj Gibson is expected to replace Noah in the starting lineup, beginning Saturday at home against the Clippers.
