CHICAGO — Derrick Jones Jr. spent the majority of his first game back on the court with the Chicago Bulls in a varying degree of pain.
When Jones fractured the pointer finger on his right hand during practice Jan. 24, the Bulls predicted his recovery would take six to eight weeks. But the shooting forward returned early Saturday night, wearing a splint for a 106-101 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at the United Center.
The extra padding on his finger didn’t keep Jones off the court — or the rim, which he swung off acrobatically after smashing a dunk in the fourth quarter. Jones clutched his hand as he jogged back up the court, wincing as he cradled his splinted finger, but remained in the game.
