Zach LaVine and Javonte Green have officially been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s game in Oklahoma City.
LaVine has missed the past five games due to a knee injury, and he was initially expected to miss the team’s entire three-game road trip as he stayed to receive treatment in Chicago. However, the Bulls All-Star has continued to progress positively, and head coach Billy Donovan announced before Sunday’s game that he and teammate Javonte Green – who has missed the last 12 games with a groin injury – would meet the gang ahead of their Monday matchup with the Thunder.
Of course, with recent long-term injuries sustained by Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball, one has to hope the Bulls are not rushing LaVine and Green back to the floor. I’m sure both players are eager to help out their teammates, but their full health for the remainder of the season is of the utmost importance. With that in mind, perhaps we’ll at least see each on a minutes restriction of some kind if they do happen to take the floor.
In less positive injury news, Nikola Vucevic has now found his way onto the injury report. The big man took a tumble in last night’s game after his feet got caught up with former-Bull Wendell Carter Jr. He landed on his knee, staying down for a minute before deciding to stay in the game (he proceeded to immediately foul out). As rough as the big man has been shooting the ball recently, he remains a pivotal part of this starting lineup. The undersized Bulls can’t afford to have him miss any extended time, so let’s hope this designation is more precautionary than anything.
Bulls battle the Thunder at 7:00 p.m. CT tonight.