Chicago Bulls: Markkanen, OPJ, and Hutch still out vs. Kings

In their back end of back-to-back games on the night of Feb. 20, the Chicago Bulls will return home to the United Center to face the struggling Sacramento Kings and star point guard De’Aaron Fox. The first leg of these back-to-back games for first-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Bulls resulted in a tough 112-105 loss on the road at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers on the night of Feb. 19.

It does look as if the Bulls will be shorthanded again, though, with some of the same names showing up on the injury report as they have for the past couple of weeks. The Bulls will reportedly be without an important trio of forwards in their home meeting with the Kings on Feb. 20.

That aforementioned trio of injured forwards for the Bulls this weekend will be fourth-year power forward Lauri Markkanen, third-year small forward Chandler Hutchison, and veteran small forward Otto Porter Jr. This will still lead to a sizable void in the Bulls forward rotation on this night.

What the Chicago Bulls are missing from this trio

Markkanen is the most important Bulls player that will be missing yet again in this outing at home against the Kings. The seven-footer and former Arizona Wildcat has started in all 14 games he’s played in so far this season for the Bulls, averaging a little north of 30 minutes on the floor per game.

And he’s averaged 19.1 points per game, 6.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.4 blocks. Markkanen shot 51.4 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 84.4 percent from the free-throw line.

Markkanen is still out for the Bulls while dealing with a shoulder injury.

Hutch was less effective for the Bulls out of the gates this season than the likes of Markkanen and OPJ. He’s played in seven games for the Bulls so far this season (none of which he’s started in). And Hutch is currently out due to personal reasons.

Moreover, Hutch has averaged 1.9 points per game, 2.9 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.1 steals, and no blocks. He shot 27.8 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 100.0 percent from the free-throw line.

And OPJ is out for the Bulls while dealing with a back injury that could keep him out for at least another two or three weeks. He was solid for the Bulls, though, in the 16 games he’s played in so far this season (six of which he’s started in).

OPJ has averaged 11.6 points per game, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.2 blocks. And he’s shot 44.4 percent from the field, an efficient 40.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 83.3 percent from the free-throw line.

The 12-16 Bulls will look to continue trending in the right direction (despite their Feb. 19 loss to the Sixers) as they tip off against the Kings at home at the United Center on Feb. 20 against the Kings at 7 p.m. CT.