Jalen Smith leaves Knicks game with concerning lower-body injury

The Chicago Bulls looked to end their 8 game losing streak against the New York Knicks on Sunday at home. Jalen Smith, who recently came off an injury, was slated to contribute in the starting lineup.

However, Smith was taken out of the game in the third quarter due to a lower-body injury, per The Chicago Bulls. He did not return for the rest of the game. Going into Sunday, the Bulls are 24-33. Plus, they haven’t won a game all month.

On Saturday, they lost to the Detroit Pistons 126-110. In that game, Smith came away with 15 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes of play. Against the Knicks, he finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and played a total of 18 minutes.

Altogether, Smith is averaging 10.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Prior to the game, head coach Billy Donovan applauded Smith for being a consistent player.

“I think that was a major challenge for us last year with him was the consistency part, and I give him a lot of credit,” Donovan said. “I mean, obviously, you can’t do anything when you have a soft tissue issue, but he’s really been a consistent player for us all year long.”

“He’s really had a great year,” Donovan added. “He’s given us good rim protection. I thought before the trade deadline we had a pretty good flow when we were playing big.”

Recently, Smith scored in double figures in 10 straight games. In 2024, Smith signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Bulls. The Bulls lost their ninth straight game 105-99 to the Knicks. 

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