More potential injury problems could be arising for the Chicago Bulls and their third-year former Duke Blue Devils center Wendell Carter Jr. as they get set to take on the Boston Celtics at home at the United Center on the night of Jan. 25. First-year head coach Billy Donovan and this Bulls team missed WCJ in the starting five frequently of late.
WCJ has not played in a game for the Bulls since their Jan. 18 win over the Houston Rockets at home, which came by the final score of 125-105. He missed the last two games, which resulted in a win over the Charlotte Hornets and a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
It looks like the reason why WCJ missed the last two games for the Bulls was a lower-body injury issue. That could still be the reason why, but K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago did not mentioned any specific injury for why he will miss the Celtics game in the post on his Twitter timeline in the early afternoon of Jan. 25.
Bulls list Wendell Carter Jr. out vs. Celtics.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 25, 2021
There could be some extra rest in line for WCJ as the Bulls had their originally scheduled Jan. 27 matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies pushed back in the wake of novel coronavirus related issues. That means that the next game up for the Bulls after taking on the Celtics on Jan. 25 will be the Portland Trail Blazers at home on Jan. 30.
What the Chicago Bulls are missing with WCJ out
Between the last game that WCJ played in and the next meeting up on the schedule after the Celtics game on this night, he will get just shy of two full weeks worth of rest.
In total so far this season, WCJ has played in 14 games with the Bulls (all of which he’s started in), averaging around 27 minutes on the floor per game. And he’s averaged 12.8 points per game, 8.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.6 blocks. WCJ shot 53.3 percent from the field, 26.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 72.6 percent from the free-throw line.
That all has amounted to a -1.9 box plus/minus rating, .128 win shares per 48 minutes, 1.0 total win shares, 60.0 true shooting percentage, 117 offensive rating/110 defensive rating, and a career-best 16.8 player efficiency rating.
Hopefully the Bulls can get WCJ back in the starting five in the near future. His game was really starting to improve, and he looked to be gaining more confidence, after the turn of the calendar year. Injury issues are nothing new to WCJ since he first entered the NBA roughly three seasons ago, though.
In his absence, second-year center Daniel Gafford is likely to get a nod in the starting five for the Celtics game. Big man Cristiano Felicio also got his first significant minutes in game action this season in the Bulls Jan. 23 loss to the Lakers. The Bulls carry a record of 7-9 into this meeting with the Celtics at home, which is set to tip off at 8 p.m. CT.