Kirk Hinrich Injury Update: Bulls Guard To Sit Game 5 With Bruised Left Calf [Video]

Chicago Bulls starting point guard Kirk Hinrich will not play in Game 5 against the Brooklyn Nets tonight because of a left calf injury he suffered during the the team’s 142-134 triple-overtime victory on Saturday.

According to ESPN, Hinrich played through the injury to finish with 18 points and a playoff career-high 14 assists in 60 minutes.

On Monday, however, Kirk showed up to shoot around with the boot on his left foot, saying he could barely walk without it.

An MRI revealed no tear in the calf, but Hinrich could miss the rest of the series.

“It’s real disappointing. You never want to miss playoff games,” Hinrich told reporters Monday. “Any time it’s hard, but especially in the playoffs, because that’s what you look forward to all year. It’s going to be hard to sit out and watch.”

In his first four games of the playoffs, Hinrich’s averaged 11.3 points, 5.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game while playing 40.5 minutes per night.

In Kirk’s absence, Nate Robinson is expected to handle the majority of the point guard duties.

In just 28 minutes of action on Saturday, Robinson poured in 34 points, including 23 in the fourth quarter, to help Chicago rally from a 14-point deficit late in the game to force overtime.

“We’ve dealt with injuries all year,” Hinrich said at the Bulls’ morning shootaround. “Nate’s been huge for us all year. He’s had those type of games. He’s been huge for us. We’re confident in our guys.”

Check out highlights from Nate Robinson’s 34-point performance below:

SB Nation points out injuries have been no stranger to Hinrich this season, as he missed 22 games in the regular season with a variety of problems.

Kirk talks about his calf injury in the video below:

According to the Chicago Tribune, since January 1, the Bulls are 27-12 with Hinrich in the lineup, and 5-13 when he is sidelined.