Not much went right for the Chicago Bulls in a 136-101 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in their penultimate game of the calendar year. The Bulls showed early energy, but an injury to Coby White quickly put a damper on things. The sixth-year guard exited at the 5:25 mark of the first quarter with an apparent calf injury and did not return.
Chicago suffers more than a loss on the court
There wasn’t a single play that clearly revealed White’s injury, but he was visibly laboring on the final possession before heading to the locker room, waiting for a dead ball to exit the game.
Following White’s exit, the Wolves managed to outscore Chicago by only a single point, leaving the Bulls with a slim two-point lead after the first quarter. White was initially questionable to return but was officially ruled out at halftime as Minnesota started to take control.
Up by just five points at halftime, Minnesota’s lead didn’t feel entirely secure—until Josh Giddey exited at the start of the second half. The 6-foot-8 floor general appeared to tweak his hamstring while bringing the ball up the court, holding his injured leg until a Wolves miss and a Bulls timeout allowed him to leave the game and join White in the locker room.
After Giddey’s premature exit, Chicago was outscored 81-48, culminating in a 35-point loss. White played just seven scoreless minutes, while Giddey recorded 11 points in 18 minutes. With both guards sidelined, Ayo Dosunmu saw the biggest uptick in action, logging 32 minutes. Though he scored only 10 points, the added playmaking responsibility was evident as he dished out seven assists.
Injuries couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Bulls. The team had just regained momentum following a seven-game skid in early December, winning six of their last nine games. Now, Chicago will be without Giddey, White, and even Zach Collins for the foreseeable future.
Billy Donovan has already given an update on Collins, who exited early in Chicago’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, noting that the reserve big man will miss the next few games with a sprained toe. As for Giddey and White, their return timelines are still unclear.
Bulls’ duo of injuries could mean extended absences
Giddey has dealt with injuries at various points this season but has still appeared in 29 of 31 games. Fortunately, this latest setback may not keep the Aussie off the floor for long: Chicago Sports Network’s K.C. Johnson reported that Giddey walked through the locker room without a noticeable limp following the loss. Hamstring injuries are always tricky, with recovery timelines ranging widely, but since this appears to be a mild strain, Giddey could miss anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
White, however, presents a far more delicate situation. He missed the first 11 games of the season with a right calf strain sustained in August. Initially expected to participate in the preseason, his timeline was later extended. It took White three weeks to resume basketball activities and another three weeks to return to the court.
While there’s no update on the severity of White’s injury, it’s concerning that it’s the same calf that sidelined him earlier in the season. The North Carolina product has played in only 15 games this year and has struggled while managing various injuries. Now, White faces another setback that could keep him out for weeks.
As the Bulls enter the New Year still in the playoff hunt, the injuries to Giddey and White could be season-altering—and might push Chicago to embrace a rebuild by moving several expiring contracts.