What began as a routine matchup for the Chicago Bulls against the Orlando Magic swiftly took an unfortunate turn when Kevin Huerter abruptly made his way to the locker room during the first quarter. There was no obvious collision or dramatic fall, yet the 27-year-old guard’s exit was enough to spark concern.

“Kevin Huerter (adductor) is OUT for the remainder of tonight’s game vs. Orlando,” the Bulls announced on X shortly after the exit occurred. The designation offered some clarity but also created uncertainty, especially since Huerter, a key member of Chicago’s offense, has already been forced to miss a game against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 24th.

Up until his exit, Huerter failed to score. He tallied 3 missed shots. His exit after the first six minutes opens up more playing time for Patrick Williams, who provides more defensive utility while being a capable shooter.

Huerter has been having a bounce-back season in Chicago following a two-and-a-half-year stint with the Sacramento Kings, and so far this season, he has averaged 12.6 points on career-high interior efficiency numbers despite shooting career lows from three-point range.

Huerter’s injury only makes things worse for Chicago, which has already been struggling with injuries lately. He joins Coby White, Isaac Okoro, Jalen Smith, Zach Collins, Dalen Terry, and Noa Essengue in being forced to sit out, increasing the load on Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic even further.

In the second half, Julian Philips started for the injured Huerter, and, at the time of writing, the Bulls have managed to perform despite it. The team currently leads by 12 with 3:38 to go in the third.

Kevin Huerter’s Injury Worsens Chicago Bulls’ Skid Heading Into Magic Matchup

The Chicago Bulls have not looked engaged over their last few weeks of games. After putting together an impressive 5-0 start to the season, the team has dropped 10 of its last 14 games, including eight on the road, stumbling through a road trip showcasing a lack of identity.

They’ve lost in every imaginable way. An offensive explosion vs the New Orleans Pelicans, a head-to-head skirmish vs the Charlotte Hornets, and a defensive grind-fest against the Indiana Pacers. Head Coach Billy Donovan is not happy with their interior defense, saying after their previous game:

“We’ve had the ball driven through us… Our biggest challenge has been controlling the basketball.”

This is what makes Monday’s game feel more than an ordinary game during the early part of the season. Chicago has beaten the Magic before, but on a night when their opponent shot 3-24 from three. Now, with Desmond Bane bouncing back from a poor shooting start, the Magic offense has been humming even without Paolo Banchero.

The Magic are coming off a five-game home winning streak and have secured an NBA Cup knockouts stage position by sweeping their group stage matchups. Orlando also averaged 127.7 points over their three-game home stretch before their final NBA Cup matchup, and it is this environment in the Kia Center that might end up being the Bulls’ biggest weakness.

Only time will tell if they can close out the game successfully, especially without key swingman Kevin Huerter.