NBA: Charlotte Hornets sting injury-hit Bulls

Charlotte: The Chicago Bulls, reeling from the loss of again-injured Derrick Rose, fell 98-86 on Wednesday to the Charlotte Hornets. 

The Bulls announced on Tuesday that Rose, the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player, had a meniscus tear in his right knee and would need surgery for the second straight year.

The right knee injuries come after Rose missed an entire season recovering from a torn left knee ligament.

"I don`t know what to say other than it`s so unfair," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said before Wednesday`s game.

"The guy has been through so much. What he has put into it and this one - not that anytime you have surgery it`s not tough - will hopefully be much shorter than the other ones. But the big thing is our concern for him first as a person."

Chicago`s French center Joakim Noah, who turned 30 on Wednesday, declined to discuss Rose`s latest injury.

Team-mate Kirk Hinrich did so but had trouble finding the right words.

"It`s a blow because one of our team-mates is down," Hinrich said. "It hurts to see anyone go down, especially someone who is as good a person as Derrick is and the history he`s had with injuries. ... I`m still shocked."

Spanish big man Pau Gasol recorded his league-leading 38th double-double with 25 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls, but Chicago nevertheless had a two-game winning streak snapped.

In a game featuring 18 lead changes and 15 ties, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 18 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for Charlotte.

Mo Williams added 17 points and five assists for the Hornets, who snapped a five-game losing streak.