Following the worst injury news of the season regarding Lonzo Ball being shut down for the year, the Chicago Bulls have caught their long-awaited break in that department. Heading into the All-Star break a week ago, Alex Caruso, Goran Dragic, DeMar DeRozan, Javonte Green, and Derrick Jones Jr. were all sidelined to various injuries. As they begin their steep 23-game climb, some good news about the team’s season-long plague of injuries has finally surfaced.
“Lord Knows I Don’t Want To Go Home”
On a positive note, the Bulls will have three rotational players return to action tonight against the Nets. Each missed the game leading into the break, and two missed the contest before that too. For the season, this trio has missed a total of 29 games. Starting with the Bulls’ lone All-Star, DeMar DeRozan says his hip “feels a lot better” and that he’ll be back to full capacity tonight.
“I should be good now, I was playing on it for awhile. It was very uncomfortable. I couldn’t get lift on my shots. I couldn’t move certain directions. I couldn’t do a lot of things. I didn’t really show it. But I felt it,”…”I didn’t feel any limitations doing anything, any moves. The lift on my shot felt great. I hit my first three shots in the All-Star Game, so that made me feel good.”
DeMar DeRozan via @KCJHoop on Twitter
A sigh of relief from Chicago fans, who have witnessed a 1-5 record in DeRozan’s absences this season. Their top scorer and leader in minutes per game will try to reroute the season-high six-game losing streak the Bulls are currently on and has a true point guard to help the cause with their newest addition Patrick Beverley.
Alex Caruso and Derrick Jones Jr. are also slated to return tonight from their respective ailments, and their defensive presence will be welcomed with open arms. Alex Caruso is among the league’s best perimeter defenders. With new backcourt member Beverley, the Bulls could deploy one of the most stifling defensive units in the NBA with that duo working in conjunction. Derrick Jones Jr.’s return will allow Billy Donovan to use the ‘small ball’ lineup he’s often called one of Chicago’s most efficient and effective groups.
Now For The Bad News
Aside from the Ball chronicles this season and his eventual shut-down for the entire year, Javonte Green might be the most disappointing Chicago Bulls injury case. Having missed 31 of the possible 59 games this season, Green has been an excellent source of energy and bench-scoring when healthy, shooting a career-best field goal and three-point percentage. His length and explosiveness also provide defensive intensity similar to Beverley or Caruso.
The Bulls are currently two games out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture entirely. Unless they sneak in the play-in scenario and make a postseason run, early indications show that Green will likely be sidelined for the remainder of the 2022-23′ campaign. Green is an unrestricted free agent this summer, so it’s very possible that he’s played his last game in a Bulls uniform.
The Journey Begins Tonight
“Every one of these games, we gotta treat like a Game 7,”…”That has to be our mentality. We gotta stop talking. ‘We’re right there, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.’ But the reality of it is there are 23 games left. And we gotta treat every single game like win or go home.”
DeMar DeRozan via @KCJHoop on Twitter
Couldn’t have said it any better; it is do-or-die for the Chicago Bulls. The signing of Patrick Beverley, the recoveries of DeRozan, Caruso, and Jones Jr., and the one-week break will hopefully be the perfect recipe for a miraculous 23-game trek straight into the postseason. The Bulls currently hold a 15% chance to make the postseason, according to ‘Basketball Reference,’ and will look to defy the analytics with each matchup down the stretch.
Will tonight start a comeback for the ages or an all-for-not effort that comes up short of a playoff berth?
