Alex Caruso left Game 4 of the Chicago Bulls' first-round playoff series with the Milwaukee Bucks early with a facial injury and is being evaluated for a possible concussion, according to the team.
The injury occurred with just under two minutes to play in the second quarter, when Bucks guard Jevon Carter inadvertently forearmed Caruso in the face while attempting to drive.
"It wasn't really necessarily a flagrant play at all," Bulls coach Billy Donovan said after the game. "I'm sure he (Caruso) got his head jarred back, he just got caught up in a screen there going for the ball and he got hit pretty good."
Caruso was briefly down on the court, but moments later rose and exited to the team's locker room with a bloody nose. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game early in the third quarter.
Ayo Dosunmu started the second half in Caruso's place. Caruso's status for Game 5 on Wednesday is unknown.
It's not the first time this season Caruso has suffered an injury against the Bucks. Back in January, he fractured his wrist after being flagrant-fouled by Bucks guard Grayson Allen, which led to a seven-week absence. Shortly after returning from that injury, Caruso began to suffer discomfort in his back, which cost him the last three games of the regular season.
After a week-long break between the end of the regular season and beginning of the playoffs, Caruso appeared back to his 100 percent self in the first three games of the Bucks series, wreaking defensive havoc and shooting 41.2 percent from 3-point range. Now, the Bulls await further word on his status.
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