Chicago Bulls: RJ Barrett questionable for Knicks with illness

According to the most recent NBA injury report (as of Dec. 2 at 3:30 p.m. CT), the New York Knicks have a few key players that are listed as “questionable” ahead of the matchup against second-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls on the night of Dec. 2. The Knicks have wing RJ Barrett, center Jericho Sims, and fellow big man Nerlens Noel, all listed as questionable on their injury report on Dec. 2.

Barrett and Sims are both listed as questionable due to a non-COVID-related illness. Meanwhile, Noel is listed as questionable for the Knicks with a right knee injury.

These could be some significant absences, and/or limitations, for the Knicks depending on which of this trio of players is missing for the team against the Bulls on Dec. 2. Barrett would surely be a significant player to be missing for the Knicks. While Barrett isn’t off to as hot of a start this season as he was last, he is still an important part of what the Knicks do on offense.

Barrett has started in all but one game that he’s played in at the three for the Knicks over the course of the last three seasons. He is one of the Knicks’ leading scorers (14 points per game) and rebounders (around six rebounds per game) so far this season.

Chicago Bulls will face the New York Knicks with a potentially limited RJ Barrett

He played well for the Knicks in the first meeting between these two teams back on Oct. 28. Barrett registered one of his better game scores on the season so far in that Knicks win over the Bulls, where he put up 20 points.

And while Barrett wasn’t as efficient in terms of his scoring in the Knicks’ eventual loss to the Bulls on Nov. 21, he did tie a career-high with a whopping 15 rebounds. It’s clear that Barrett made an impact one way or another in the first two games between the Bulls and Knicks this season.

Noel is also an important part of the Knicks rotation, just in a more limited capacity compared to Barrett. He is a key cog in the Knicks frontcourt unit, averaging around 1.5 blocks per game and one steal.

If the Knicks are short Noel in this game, it does hurt that Sims is also dealing with an illness that his him listed as questionable on Dec. 2. That will leave a gap in the Knicks’ frontcourt unit, while the Bulls are essentially at full strength there right now.

Barrett did exit the game early in the Knicks’ Nov. 30 two-point loss to their crosstown rival, the Brooklyn Nets. This is surely something to watch as the Knicks could have a few players limited and/or out against the Bulls on this night.

The two players that are listed as out for the Bulls in this game are second-year forward Patrick Williams and third-year point guard Coby White. Williams actually injured his wrist in the first meeting between the Bulls and Knicks this season, which is likely set to have him miss the rest of the regular season. And White entered the league’s health and safety protocol this week following a positive COVID-19 test.

The Bulls come into this meeting with the Knicks sporting a record of 14-8 following their convincing 14-point win over the Charlotte Hornets at home at the United Center on Nov. 29. Tip-off time between the Bulls and Knicks is set for 6:30 p.m. CT at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 2.