Chicago Bulls: Patrick Williams ‘optimistic’ he’ll play vs. Grizzlies
Second-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls are set to take on the Memphis Grizzlies and standout point guard Ja Morant in the preseason finale on the night of Oct. 15 at home at the United Center. And it looks like the Bulls could feature one of their best, and most promising, two-way players in his preseason debut this year in second-year forward Patrick Williams against the Grizzlies heading into the weekend.
Williams has spent the better part of the past month trying to recover from an ankle injury he suffered in the late stages of the offseason. He originally suffered this ankle injury away from team basketball activities ahead of the start of Training Camp back on Sep. 28.
The report that Williams could make his preseason debut for Donovan and the Bulls against the Grizzlies on Oct. 15 came from the Twitter timeline of Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald early in the afternoon of Oct. 14. This is great news for Williams and the Bulls in the recovery from what originally looked to be an untimely lower-body injury last month.
There is increasing probability Patrick Williams will debut for Chicago Bulls in preseason finale
Donovan said Patrick Williams (ankle) did everything in practice, optimistic he’ll play in Friday’s preseason finale. #Bulls
— Mike McGraw (@McGrawDHSports) October 14, 2021
The two most notable injuries that the Bulls were dealing with ahead of the regular season opener (and the preseason finale for that matter) were Williams and third-year point guard Coby White. Williams is working his way back from this ankle injury, and White is still recovering from a shoulder procedure he had early in the offseason.
It still remains to be known if White will be able to be available for Donovan and the Bulls for the regular season opener on Oct. 20 on the road against the Detroit Pistons.
This will also be interesting to see if Donovan and the Bulls staff elect to play Williams with the starting unit in the preseason finale against the Grizzlies if he is ready to go for that game. The Bulls ran with defensive standout guard Javonte Green in place of Williams in the starting five through three preseason games thus far.
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Coming off a one-point victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers to stay unbeaten in this four-game preseason slate on the road back on Oct. 10, the Bulls are hoping to get through the finale unscathed. Tip-off time between the Bulls and Grizzlies in this preseason finale at the United Center in Chicago is set for 7 p.m. CT on Oct. 15.