National Basketball Association

Ailing Bulls star Gordon to 'give it a try' in Game 5

Published Apr. 28, 2009 11:19 p.m. ET

foxsports

Ben Gordon is going to give it a go for the Bulls in Game 5.

Chicago's leading scorer will try to play despite a strained left hamstring, coach Vinny del Negro said an hour before Tuesday's 7 p.m. ET tip.

"He wants to give it a try," del Negro said. "We'll monitor it as the game goes along. I'm not planning on taking him out too much."

Del Negro said the team would have a stationary bike available for Gordon to use when he's out of the game to help keep the hamstring from tightening up.

Earlier in the day, Gordon sounded less optimistic about playing.

"It's my call, but I have to go off how it feels," Gordon said, according to the Chicago Tribune. "It doesn't feel good. Hopefully I can play. If not, we have Game 6 at home (Thursday)."

Gordon skipped Tuesday morning's shootaround and has been icing the injury and using electrical stimulation on the hamstring, the report said.

The Chicago guard played in all 82 regular-season games. He led the Bulls with 20.7 points per game and is averaging 24.8 in four postseason games so far.

He was injured in the second quarter of Sunday's double-overtime win in Game 4. Gordon played with the injury in that game but needed a painkilling shot at halftime.

"Maybe some of the pain and swelling wasn't there then," Gordon said, according to the Tribune. "The swelling got a lot worse. I'm hoping for a miracle."