Bulls' Boozer could miss 2 months after breaking hand at home

Carlos Boozer joined the Bulls in a sign-and-trade deal this offseason.

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CHICAGO (AP) -- Bulls forward Carlos Boozer, one of Chicago's top offseason acquisitions, broke his right hand after tripping over a bag at his home and could miss two months.

Boozer fractured the fifth metacarpal bone in his hand Saturday and will have surgery Tuesday. He was evaluated by team physician Dr. Brian Cole and hand specialist Dr. Marc Cohen of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, one of the nation's top sports medicine centers.

"It was just dark. My doorbell had rang and I tripped over a bag, tried to brace myself and it popped. I jumped back up, opened the door and my hand was still a little bit numb,'' Boozer told reporters at a Bulls practice Sunday evening.

Boozer said it was a bag he'd had at training camp.

"I went back to my place, hadn't unpacked the bag yet, came around the corner, running to get the door and fell over it,'' he said. "I'm 265, 5 percent body fat. I'm heavy, man. I guess I had to brace myself and my weight just collapsed the bone right there.''

Boozer spent the previous six years with Utah and averaged 19.5 points and 11.2 rebounds last season before joining the Bulls in a sign-and-trade deal.

A two-time All-Star, Boozer has a five-year deal worth about $75 million. The Bulls were counting on him to team with Joakim Noah for a solid inside game, while also giving star point guard Derrick Rose an option on the pick-and-roll.

"I'm disappointed and feel bad about it, but we've got guys who will be able to step up and play,'' Boozer said. Taj Gibson is his likely replacement in the starting lineup.

The Bulls hired Tom Thibodeau as their new coach and also added Ronnie Brewer, Keith Bogans and Kyle Korver in the offseason to try to move deeper into the postseason after consecutive first-round playoff eliminations.

Chicago begins preseason play Tuesday night.

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