Tennessee received a big scare on Monday night when J.P. Estrella went down with what appeared to be a knee injury. However, it doesn’t sounds like it’s going to cost the emerging talent to miss too much
time. Rick Barnes offered an update on Thursday night after Estrella missed his first game of the season.
“I don’t know,” Barnes said when asked of Estrella’s status. “When I asked Chad about it the other day, he said he a bone bruise could be anywhere (from) a couple weeks — whatever a couple is. Somewhere there. I think it will be based on him and his comfort level and when he feels he is ready to go.”
Estrella missed nearly all of last season after going down with a foot injury. The 6-11 sophomore center is averaging 14 points per game so far this season. The good news for Tennessee is that they really went out and added frontcourt depth in the offseason, grabbing Jaylen Carey from the portal and signing four-star freshman DeWayne Brown. Felix Okpara and Cade Phillips also returned, giving the staff plenty of options to get through Estrella’s injury.
Still though, Estrella’s offense will be missed next week in Las Vegas, with Tennessee set to face Rutgers and Houston.
Sophomore guard Bishop Boswell, who Barnes says is Tennessee’s best defender, has also missed time. Boswell started the first two games of the season but has since been out with a foot issue.
“It went from his foot, which I think is better now,” Barnes said of Boswell. “But moved into his leg, hamstring. Bishop is above and beyond doing what he is supposed to do. We’ve got to get him right. He has had some of that pain in his hamstring and you guys know how that injury — if you don’t get it right, it lingers and we don’t want that to happen.”
Just reading the tealeaves here — it sounds like Tennessee will be down two rotational players during the Vegas trip. Guys like Amaree Abram, Ethan Burg, Jaylen Carey and DeWayne Brown will have to continue to step up as Tennessee finally gets going against some stiffer competition next week.
Tennessee’s first game in Las Vegas is set for Monday at noon ET against Rutgers.
