LA’s Lengthy Injury Report, Winning in Transition, Good Bitim Minutes, and Other Bulls Bullets

The Chicago Bulls might catch a big break to end their four-game road trip.

  • After picking up wins over the Kings, Jazz, and Warriors in dramatic fashion, the Bulls will now face the Los Angeles Clippers in a rare Saturday afternoon affair. The game is set to tip off at 3:00 p.m. CT on NBA TV, and it will be the team’s toughest battle of the week … maybe.
  • LA has entered the day with all three of their marquee players listed as “questionable” on the injury report. Kawhi Leonard is dealing with groin soreness, Paul George has knee soreness, and James Harden is working through a shoulder strain. The Clippers are also currently without Russell Westbrook due to a hand injury he suffered earlier this month.
  • Leonard, George, and Harden each appeared in the Clippers’ previous game against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. They also each clocked over 38 minutes of action. Considering they’ve had two full days to rest up, I imagine at least two of the three will see the court this afternoon. But, hey, maybe they see a matchup with this Bulls team as an opportunity to give their stars some added rest. While Chicago has played some solid basketball as of late (even Steve Kerr tipped his cap to them), LA has a pretty deep squad. If the banged-up Utah Jazz can keep things tight with the Bulls, we certainly can’t rule out the shorthanded Clippers doing the same.
  • If the Clippers are at full strength, however, this is going to be a steep uphill battle. Few teams have been as balanced as LA on both ends of the floor this season. They hold the 6th-highest net rating in the NBA and the 5th-highest effective field goal percentage. The James Harden trade led to a lot of questions, but he’s found his footing as the team’s lead distributor, averaging 17.7 points and 8.3 assists per game. Meanwhile, this is the healthiest we’ve seen George and Leonard since the two first teamed up in 2019-20. The two-man combination is a +12.7 when they’re on the floor together, per Basketball Reference. Both have played at an elite level this season, but Leonard has risen above all by playing like his dominant Toronto self. His +5.7 estimated plus-minus via Dunks & Threes is the 7th-highest in the NBA.
  • With Patrick Williams still sidelined and Torrey Craig working his way back from a knee sprain, the Bulls are extremely weak at the wing. And that could be a MAJOR problem against the Clippers. This will likely have to be one of those games where the Bulls must muck things up to keep it close. We’re talking about extra physicality, a communal effort on the offensive glass, and taking advantage of transition opportunities.
  • Patrick Williams of the Chicago Bulls blocks Ivica Zubac.
    (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

  • Again, the Clippers are pretty good at everything, but they do happen to allow the 10th-most fastbreak points per game. Their transition defense also gives up the second-most points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. The Bulls haven’t been great about getting out on the open floor this season, but we know that both Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White have that capability. Whether the stars are on the court today or not, I’ll be looking at that backcourt duo to kick things into high gear. Vucevic and DeRozan stepped up to beat the Warriors. This matchup might call for Dosunmu and White to set the tone.
  • I may have been wrong. I thought with the return of Craig to the rotation that Bitim’s minutes would take a hit. Instead, head coach Billy Donovan continued to rely on the first-year wing, as he played just under 17 minutes against Golden State. And they were a pretty good 17 minutes! Bitim went 2-4 from behind the arc and recorded 2 steals. Re-watching the game the next day, I was genuinely impressed with his defensive instincts and effort. Not to mention, he doesn’t hesitate to let it fly from downtown.
  • The Bulls don’t have that 3-point specialist on their roster. I’m not saying that Bitim is headed toward becoming that option, but his form is pure. He also seems to have a good feel for how to slide into open spots, which we talked more about after his big game last week.
  • I totally missed this on Thursday night. Love hearing that Javonte Green got to hang around his old friends. I’m still shocked he isn’t on an NBA roster right now.
  • Stephen Curry had to leave the game against Chicago with an ankle injury. Fortunately, it appears he avoided any major problems.
  • All good stuff to know!
  • Did someone say quiet trade deadline?
  • written by

    Elias Schuster is the Lead Chicago Bulls writer at Bleacher Nation. He started with BN full-time in 2019 immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a degree in Journalism (yes, he started with the Jim Boylen Era). Since joining, Elias has been the driving force behind Bulls and NBA content for both the site and social accounts. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Schuster_Elias.

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