Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan officially told reporters that guard Alex Caruso is in the NBA’s concussion protocol. His status remains day-to-day, as the Bulls creep toward a possible elimination game on Wednesday night.
Alex Caruso is currently in the concussion protocol, per Coach Billy Donovan.
"His availability for Game 5 is up in the air." pic.twitter.com/XBc6iPFWdt
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) April 25, 2022
Alex Caruso is in concussion protocol, per Billy Donovan.
He is experiencing symptoms and his availability will be a day-to-day decision.
— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) April 25, 2022
Caruso suffered the head injury during an inadvertent elbow to the face by the Bucks’ Jevon Carter in the 2nd quarter of Sunday’s Game 4. Rookie Ayo Dosunmu went on to eat the bulk of Caruso’s minutes, and the Bulls went on to drop their second-straight game to the defending champs 119-95.
As the team’s best defensive player, there is no question that walking into Wednesday night’s contest without him would only underscore the Bulls’ underdog status. Caruso has held his own on pivotal possessions against stars Jrue Holiday and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and he’s also carried a valuable playmaking role on the offensive end in the absence of Lonzo Ball. He dished a playoff career-high with 10 assists in the Bulls’ Game 2 victory, while also knocking down three much-needed shots from behind the arc.
The fact the team has not officially ruled him out – and the fact the Bulls have two full days off before the next contest – should give us a small glimmer of hope that Caruso can return. However, it could surely be difficult for him to pass the tests necessary over that time frame, so let’s hope first-year fan-favorite Ayo Dosunmu is ready for a potentially heavy workload.
