Following a disastrous outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves—one in which the Chicago Bulls not only lost by 35 points but also lost their starting backcourt to a pair of injuries—the Bulls will take the court for the first time with both players ruled out for the foreseeable future.
Chicago set to miss three key contributors
Josh Giddey, who limped off the court seconds after the Minnesota game resumed from halftime, has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain. While he is officially listed with “tightness” on Chicago’s injury report, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Giddey suffered a strain with a recovery timeline of at least a few weeks.
White, on the other hand, appeared on the injury report with right calf tightness—not a strain. It was a fortunate development, as the 6-foot-5 guard had already dealt with a calf strain that caused him to miss the first 11 games of the season. Like Giddey, White limped off the court on December 29 and was ruled out by halftime. While the 25-year-old will miss the game against New Orleans and likely the following games, he should not be sidelined for an extended period, given the designation of tightness.
Moreover, reserve big man Zach Collins will miss his second straight game with a right first-toe sprain, an upgrade from what was initially listed as a sore big toe. Collins suffered the injury against the Milwaukee Bucks on December 27 and is likely to be sidelined for the next week or so.
Also of note, Chicago’s three two-way signees—Trentyn Flowers, Emanuel Miller, and Lachlan Olbrich—are all listed as out with separate injuries, not due to G League assignment.
New Orleans to miss three players for various reasons
As for the Pelicans, New Orleans will be without José Alvarado, Herbert Jones, and Dejounte Murray. Alvarado will miss the final game of his two-game suspension after a physical altercation with Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams on December 27.
Unlike Alvarado, Jones and Murray are both dealing with injuries, though the severity differs significantly. Jones will miss his fifth straight game with a right ankle sprain suffered over a week ago. Without the All-NBA defender in the lineup, the Pelicans are a paltry 1–11. Murray is the only Pelican yet to suit up this season as he recovers from an Achilles rupture. With nearly a year having passed since the injury, a return to the hardwood could be on the horizon.
Full injury report for Chicago Bulls vs New Orleans Pelicans
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 Hyperextension), Josh Giddey (Left Hamstring Tightness), Emanuel Miller (Right Hamstring Strain), Lachlan Olbrich (Left Ankle Sprain), Coby White (Right Calf Tightness).
New Orleans Pelicans
Out: Jose Alvarado (Suspension), Herbert Jones (Right Ankle Sprain), Dejounte Murray (Right Achilles Rupture).