DEERFIELD, Ill. -- In the middle of their misery on Tuesday night, the Chicago Bulls caught a break -- both literally and figuratively.

Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh took an inadvertent elbow from Cleveland Cavaliers forward Antawn Jamison which broke his face. Bosh had to spend Tuesday night in a hospital for observations and it is uncertain at this time whether he will play again this season after undergoing surgery on a facial fracture.

Of course, with the way this season has gone, there's no telling how the Raptors will respond to Bosh's injury and if the Bulls would even be able to take advantage of the circumstances in his absence.

Either way, what is clear is that Bosh's injury changes the trajectory of the playoff race in the East.

"It's always going to hurt," Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said of losing Bosh. "I saw it on replay. It didn't look like he got hit that hard. But obviously guys are big and strong, there's no padding. He got hit in the right spot. You can't worry about their situation. We got enough issues here to deal with. We don't play them for a couple more games.

"No, question when you take one of your key guys out of your lineup, especially an All-Star player like Chris, it's going to affect you. But, other guys have to step up, Just like guys who try to step up for us all year with our injuries."

After all the injuries the Bulls have dealt with this season, don't expect them to feel sorry for the Raptors though.

"We don't want no one to be hurt, but we've been through it the whole year," Bulls forward Luol Deng said. "Guys going out. Guys that are really important to our team. We know how that could affect a team."

Deng and Bulls center Joakim Noah know firsthand. They have missed a combined three months of action because various injuries.

"It's unbelievable," Noah said. "This injury thing I guess is part of the game. I don't wish that on anybody ... I'm just trying to focus on the things that I can control as a player. Give as much energy as I can. Do my part as much as I can to help the team win."

Therein lies the key for the Bulls. If they don't start winning games, it won't matter how the Raptors fare without Bosh. The fact that the Bulls actually play the Raptors in Toronto on Sunday wouldn't carry nearly as much importance.

"If we don't handle our business in the next two games, [the playoff race] probably won't even matter by that game," Noah said. "So every game is critical right now. [Tuesday's] game was very critical. Lucky for us, [Toronto] lost as well. They have their issues. We have our issues. It's just important that we overcome. The toughest team will make that eighth spot."

Del Negro might have summed everybody's thoughts best.

"Talk is cheap," he said. "You got to go out and do it. We'll be ready for [Thursday]."