Chicago Bulls take early call on Josh Giddey's availability ahead of Play-In vs Heat
The Chicago Bulls' season could end with a loss tonight. They will host the Miami Heat for the Play-In Tournament, and whoever loses will start their vacations early.
That's why the fans sounded off the alarms when they saw Josh Giddey listed as 'day-to-day' with a forearm injury. He's joined by Dalen Terry (right calf contusion), who's also day-to-day, and Lonzo Ball (wrist), Tre Jones (foot), Ayo Dosumnu (left shoulder), all of whom are listed as out.
Giddey missed three of the last four regular-season games with a right forearm injury. Per the Chicago Tribune, the pain concentrates in his pinkie finger and his wrist, and he's been dealing with the injury since the All-Star break.
Nevertheless, despite speculation about his availability, coach Billy Donovan confirmed that he will have to play through it:
“It’s a muscle issue in his hand, he tried some light shooting,” Donovan told 670 The Score. “he’s going to have to deal with it.”
The Australian guard echoed a similar sentiment. He claimed that there wasn't even a doubt about whether to play or not, and even if he's in pain, he's going to do whatever it takes to suit up:
“I’m good to go,” Giddey told the Chicago Tribune. “Play-in game, must-win game — there’s no way I’m going to sit it out. I’ll be able to play through it. I hope it’s to a high level. It’s all about managing the pain. We’ll do everything we can — tomorrow, today, tonight — to reduce it as much as possible, but I’ll deal with it and play through it.”
The Chicago Bulls refused to give up this season
All things considered, the Bulls' trip to the Play-In Tournament was somewhat surprising. They let DeMar DeRozan go in the offseason, and they doubled down on their young movement by trading Zach LaVine midway through the year.
Despite that, they still went 39-43 and secured the No. 9 spot in the Eastern Conference.
Under Arturas Karnisovas, the Bulls have openly rejected embracing a full-scale rebuild. That's not the usual approach for teams in their situation, but it seems they believe they can be a legitimate contender while also stacking up young talent.
Of course, getting past the Cleveland Cavaliers in a potential first-round matchup will be easier said than done, but this team is getting invaluable playoff experience in the early stages of its development, and that's always a positive.