The Chicago Bulls continue a demanding stretch of their schedule with a matchup against the Boston Celtics, marking their fifth game in eight days. During that span, Chicago is 2–2, with wins over the New Orleans Pelicans and Orlando Magic.
Coby White trending toward an early return
At the start of this stretch, Chicago lost both of its starting backcourt players to injury. Coby White exited the 136–101 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter with calf tightness, while Josh Giddey limped to the locker room just after halftime with a left hamstring strain.
Giddey, meanwhile, remains out and is scheduled to be re-evaluated in roughly a week. White, however, is expected to return before his re-evaluation date. Initially slated for a re-evaluation on Tuesday, January 6, White has been listed as probable against the Celtics.
The 25-year-old guard was originally listed as questionable before being upgraded to probable following morning shootaround. As a result, Chicago will get half of its starting backcourt back just days after fearing both guards could be sidelined for the foreseeable future. Still, White is likely to face a minutes restriction as he has dealt with calf issues in both legs throughout the season. The North Carolina product has even said he expects to be monitored for the remainder of the 2025–26 campaign.
Jalen Smith is the only new addition to the Bulls’ injury report. He is listed as out with a concussion after colliding with LaMelo Ball in Chicago’s 112–99 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. As of January 3, Smith remains in concussion protocol and could miss the next one or two games.
Celtics enter matchup largely healthy
On the flip side, the Celtics have been largely healthy aside from Jayson Tatum, who is out as he continues to recover from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in May. On a positive note, Boston has not officially ruled him out for the season, and there’s optimism he could return later in 2026 as his rehab progresses.
Full injury report for Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics
The complete injury report for tonight's game is as follows:
Chicago Bulls
Out: Zach Collins (Right 1st Toe Sprain), Noa Essengue (Left Shoulder Surgery), Trentyn Flowers (Right Knee Sprain), Josh Giddey (Left Hamstring Strain), Jalen Smith (Concussion).
Probable: Coby White (Right Calf Injury Management).
Boston Celtics
Out: Jayson Tatum (Right Achilles Repair).