BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Kiko Alonsos season is over before it even began after the Buffalo Bills starting linebacker was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his left knee. General manager Doug Whaley provided the update in a statement released by the team on Wednesday, a day after Alonso was hurt while working out in Oregon. Whaley said Alonso will require surgery to repair a torn ACL, and "will likely miss the 2014 season." The Bills did not provide any details as to how Alonso was hurt. The injury is a significant blow to the Bills before they even open training camp in suburban Rochester on July 20. Alonso was an NFL defensive rookie of the year contender last season after being drafted in the second round out of Oregon. He led Buffalo with 159 tackles, two fumble recoveries and tied for the team lead with four interceptions while barely missing a snap in playing all 16 games. After playing in the middle last season, Alonso was moving to the outside linebacker spot as part of the Bills shift to a 4-3 defensive scheme under new co-ordinator Jim Schwartz. The position switch was also sparked in part by the Bills signing of run-stopping specialist Brandon Spikes, who is better suited to play in the middle. Alonso had hip surgery this off-season, which limited him in participating in spring practices. But he was expected to be ready for the start of camp. "We feel badly for Kiko, because he has worked very hard this off-season in preparation for the upcoming season," Whaley said. "But we look forward to his return with his style of play that made him one of the leagues outstanding rookies in 2013." The Bills do have some depth behind Alonso. Manny Lawson, an eight-year NFL veteran, has experience playing the position. The Bills also selected linebacker Preston Brown in the third round of the draft in April. 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In 82 games with the Flyers in 2013-14, Schenn scored 20 goals and added 21 assists.DALLAS -- Taj Gibson didnt worry when Chicago fell behind Dallas early, and he wasnt concerned when the Mavericks made a late run for the lead. The Bulls had answers both times. Gibson scored 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, Mike Dunleavy hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and Chicago overtook the Mavericks in the fourth quarter of a 100-91 victory Friday night. "Were used to this," Gibson said after the Bulls (32-26) won for the eighth time in nine games, moved a season-high six over .500 and answered a 22-point home loss to Dallas in December. "We get knocked down and we keep coming back." The Mavericks led by 16 in the first half and had erased a six-point Chicago edge with a 7-0 run punctuated by Monta Ellis second steal and breakaway dunk of the night when Dunleavy put the Bulls back in front and started a 10-0 run with a 3-pointer for an 87-85 lead. Jimmy Butler had 19 points, seven rebounds and a big block during the decisive spurt, and Kirk Hinrich scored 17. Dunleavy finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, shooting 4 of 7 from long range. Ellis scored 20 to the lead the Mavericks, who were trying to match their season high with a fifth straight win. Dirk Nowitzki and Vince Carter had 15 apiece, but Carter scored just one point in the second half and was held to 0-of-6 shooting in the fourth quarter, when the Mavericks went 6 for 25 from the field. "Some nights teams miss shots and you have to hang in with grit, guts, defence and rebounding," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "Weird thing about it was we were in front most of the first half and we let them climb back into it with grit, guts and rebounding." Gibson, who had 16 points in the first half, followed Dunleavys go-ahead 3 with a dunk on an assist from Joakim Noah, who then blocked a shot by Sam Dalembert on the other end right after committing his fifth foul. Butler scored inside after Ellis fell down, and after two more Dallas possessions ended in misses, Hinrich hit a pull-up jumper for a 93-85 lead. Butler blocked a layup try by Jose Calderon and made a free throw at the other end to complete the run as the Bulls outscored the Mavericks 27-15 in the fourth. "We got nothing but good looks," said Ellis, who was 2 of 6 in the fourth and 7 of 19 for the game.dddddddddddd "We missed a lot of layups, a lot of shots in the middle, at the free throw line. Missed a lot of wide-open ones. Just werent going down for us." After the Bulls went up 84-78 on back-to-back 3-pointers from D.J. Augustin and Hinrich, the Mavericks went back in front with a 7-0 run started when Nowitzki hit a one-legged fadeaway over Noah after Noah had stolen the ball from him two straight times. Noah didnt have a point or rebound in the first half but finished with 10 points and nine boards. The teams assist leader had four more of those as the NBAs lowest-scoring team reached 100 points for the third straight game -- all wins. "We are an offensive juggernaut," coach Tom Thibodeau said with a smile. "I thought we battled back and showed more discipline as the game went along." The Bulls took their first lead on a reverse layup by Carlos Boozer with 2:48 left in the third quarter, but didnt score the rest of the period. Shawn Marion quickly answered with a layup, and DeJuan Blair ended a 2 1/2-minute scoreless stretch with a bucket to put Dallas up 76-73 going into the fourth. The Mavericks made five of their first seven from long range and ran out to a 32-17 late in the first quarter, punctuated by a sprinting layup from Wayne Ellington when he was led perfectly on a long pass from Devin Harris. The Bulls got within six in the second quarter before Dallas pushed the lead back to 51-38 on a dunk by Ellis after the 1,000th steal of his career. Chicago rallied again to get within two on a 13-2 run that included 3-pointers from Dunleavy, Hinrich and Butler. NOTES: The Mavericks recalled F Jae Crowder, G Shane Larkin and C Bernard James after a one-game stint with their NBA Development League team. Crowder had a triple-double for the Texas Legends in suburban Frisco with 23 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists. James had 38 points and 10 rebounds. G Ricky Ledo was sent back down to the Legends. ... In addition to the steals milestone, Ellis hit the 500th 3-pointer of his career in the first quarter. ' ' '