Zach LaVine out at Least 2 Games with Ankle Injury

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine will miss at least the next two games with an ankle injury.

According to the Bulls' official Twitter account, head coach Jim Boylen said the following regarding LaVine's status Saturday: "Zach LaVine had a MRI last night and flew home this morning to consult with other specialists. We will create a plan of action [when we know more]. Hopeful for a good evaluation. He will not play tonight or Monday."

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune added that LaVine suffered a sprained deltoid ligament and is currently in a walking boot.

LaVine suffered the injury during Thursday's 97-91 loss to the Orlando Magic in Mexico City. He will sit out Saturday's road game against the San Antonio Spurs and Monday's away meeting with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The 23-year-old guard is Chicago's leading scorer this season with 23.8 points per game. He is also averaging 4.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per contest.

Chicago acquired LaVine from the Minnesota Timberwolves prior to last season in the Jimmy Butler trade.

LaVine missed all but 24 games last season with a knee injury, but he has been one of the few bright spots for the Bulls in 2018-19.

He has also taken on a leadership role, as he held a one-on-one meeting with Boylen on Dec. 9 to discuss concerns the players had with his coaching style after taking over for the fired Fred Hoiberg.

With LaVine out for at least two games, Kris Dunn will likely see a significant boost in playing time.

Dunn, who was also part of the Butler trade, has played in the past two games after missing nearly two months with a knee injury.

There will probably be more opportunities for Ryan Arcidiacono and Cameron Payne while LaVine is on the shelf as well.

The Bulls are an Eastern Conference-worst 6-23, and they face an uphill climb when it comes to playing winning basketball without their best player.