It’s been a brutal stretch for the Chicago Bulls, who have dropped three straight games to opponents with five or fewer wins—each loss seemingly more embarrassing than the last. First, Chicago surrendered 143 points to the New Orleans Pelicans. Then, at full health, they gave up 123 to the Charlotte Hornets. And most recently, they managed only 101 points in a two-point loss to an injury-depleted Indiana Pacers squad.
Chicago's injury concerns pile on
It’s been rough in the Windy City, and things aren’t about to get easier. Just as the Bulls finally began to get healthy, the injury report has filled up again. Chicago has three players listed as out for its matchup with the Orlando Magic: Noa Essengue, Isaac Okoro, and Jalen Smith.
Okoro will miss his fifth straight game as he continues to deal with left lumbar radiculopathy, which, in layman's terms, is pain in the lower back caused by a pinched nerve. Smith, meanwhile, will be sidelined for a second consecutive contest due to a hamstring strain.
However, those three Bulls may not be the only ones sidelined tonight. Both Zach Collins and Coby White are listed as doubtful. While Collins being upgraded to doubtful instead of out is a positive step in his recovery from a preseason wrist injury, White’s status is more concerning.
As you may recall, White missed the first 11 games of the season and has sat out at least one leg of every back-to-back so far while recovering from an offseason calf strain. He’s now listed as doubtful with calf tightness… not in the previously strained right calf, but in his left.
It’s a concerning development, especially given that White missed the entire preseason and the start of the year with a calf strain. The hope, of course, is that the tightness subsides quickly so the 6-foot-5 guard can return to action in the coming days.
Orlando missing its star once again
On the flip side, Orlando enters the matchup with nearly a clean bill of health. There’s only one major concern, and it’s a big one. The Magic will be without All-Star Paolo Banchero for a ninth straight game as he continues to recover from a groin strain.
Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that Orlando is 6–2 without Banchero, with several marquee wins during that stretch. Whether this surge reflects the team finally clicking after a major offseason trade or simply a temporary hot streak remains to be seen.
Full injury report for Chicago Bulls vs Orlando Magic
The complete injury report for tonight's game is as follows:
Chicago Bulls
Out: Noa Essengue (Left Shoulder Contusion), Isaac Okoro (Left Lumbar Radiculopathy), Jalen Smith (Left Hamstring Strain).
Doubtful: Zach Collins (Left Scaphoid Fracture), Dalen Terry (Left Calf Strain), Coby White (Left Calf Tightness).
Questionable: Julian Phillips (Illness).
Probable: Lachlan Olbrich (Left Calf Contusion).
Orlando Magic
Out: Paolo Banchero (Left Groin Strain), Moritz Wagner (Left Knee Injury recovery).