According to the NBA’s latest official injury report, Alex Caruso is likely to miss Monday night’s meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The First-Team All-Defensive member sat out the Chicago Bulls’ victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday due to a left toe injury. He’s now listed as doubtful on the backend of the team’s back-to-back, which is surely bad news for a Bulls squad looking for their first winning streak of the season.
While Chicago did pick up the win last night, doing so against the new-look Milwaukee Bucks will be one of their toughest challenges yet. Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. struggling mightily on the defensive end of the ball to begin the year, the Bucks are 4-1 at home and have averaged the ninth-most points per game.
Alex Caruso Deserves So Much Credit – Just Ask Kevin Durant
The Caruso news is particularly unfortunate when we consider Damian Lillard is now probable after missing the previous two games with a calf strain. If the Bulls want any chance of pulling off the upset on tired legs tonight, they’re going to have to hope both Jevon Carter and Ayo Dosunmu can lock in on the defensive end.
Alex Caruso’s on/off differential this season sits at +8.9, per Cleaning the Glass. The four players who have started every game so far this season – Coby White, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic – sit at a ghastly -19.1 points per 100 possessions. Add Alex Caruso next to those four, however, and they have a +6.2 on the year. In other words, yes, it sure feels like the Bulls would need him on the floor if they want any chance of beating an above-.500 team.
Maybe they’ll surprise us!
