The Chicago Bulls find themselves just one loss away from their summer vacation starting. Here’s a few notes from Thursday, including Fred Hoiberg mentioning Jimmy Butler not being 100 percent.
Death, taxes and the Chicago Bulls having a difficult time scoring in the fourth quarter.
The Bulls scored just 16 points in the final frame of Wednesday’s loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of their first round series and fell into a 3-2 hole entering Game 6 on Friday night in Chicago.
During a conference call with reporters on Thursday, Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg spoke on a few different topics, including a status update of Rajon Rondo, who hasn’t played since fracturing his right thumb in the Bulls’ win during Game 2.
Rajon Rondo is still a “long shot” from playing in Game 6 (or this series for the matter)
Fred Hoiberg says on conference call that "nothing's changed" as far as Rondo's status for Game 6 goes. Calls it a "long shot" he plays.
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) April 27, 2017
Despite the report that Rondo was preparing to play prior to Game 5, obviously nothing changed after the workout in Boston before the game for Rondo. The thumb still hurts and like Rondo mentioned, there’s really nothing that can be done to ease the pain other than letting it heal properly.
Rondo’s status for Game 6 doesn’t sound likely either, which led Hoiberg to announce that Isaiah Canaan will get the start again in Game 6.
Isaiah Canaan will start for the Bulls again in Game 6
Hoiberg confirms that Isaiah Canaan will start Game 6.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 27, 2017
In his start for the Bulls in Game 5, Canaan scored 13 points and mixed up with Isaiah Thomas on the defensive end a couple of times, but he turned the ball over four times and missed four of his five attempts from 3-point range in the 108-97 loss.
Still, Canaan got 36 minutes after 34 minutes in Game 4 and kept Jerian Grant glued to the bench with a DNP-CD on Wednesday night and Michael Carter-Williams from playing other than in garbage time.
Jimmy Butler isn’t quite himself right now and that’s not good
Hoiberg acknowledges that Butler is battling "some knee soreness" and will get treatment between now and game. Butler will play.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 27, 2017
If you were thinking Jimmy Butler looked off on Wednesday night, you’d be correct. Butler scored just 14 points on 15 shot attempts and didn’t really look like he was comfortable out on the floor. (It also doesn’t help when you’re not 100 percent and playing 39 minutes, too.)
The issue for Butler arose in Game 4. On a drive to the basket in the second half, Butler banged his knee on another knee and since that moment, he hasn’t really been himself, which is unfortunate for the Bulls and any chance of winning this series.
One of the sleuths over at Blogabull suggested that Butler may have tweaked his knee on this play during Game 4 🤔 pic.twitter.com/n221w3yg1E
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) April 27, 2017
From the looks of it, Butler’s right knee collided with Avery Bradley’s knee and tried to limp off the pain right after.
(Note: This was not the knee he injured last season and missed 11 games, which caused him to miss the NBA All-Star Game in Toronto.)
Since this play, Butler hasn’t had that same energy and the burst in his step we’ve seen throughout the series prior to this collision. He had eight rebounds and six assists in Game 6 thanks to some heavy double teams from Boston defensively.
Hoiberg mentioned that he’ll get some medical treatment and will still play in Game 6 despite the soreness.
Butler banged knees w/ Celtic in Gm 4. Hoiberg said he'd get treatment tonight "a couple times" and "before and after (Friday) shootaround."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 27, 2017
For the Bulls to have any chance in Game 6 to avoid elimination, they need Butler healthy as he can be and ready to go.
Next: Bulls vs. Celtics, Game 5: Takeaways from the Bulls losing in Beantown
“I’m good,” Butler said, via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. “I think everybody is a little nicked up right now. I’ll be all right.”