The Chicago Bulls are clinging to the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference, and the absence of Josh Giddey hasn’t made things any easier. With the team dropping four of its last six games, it’s clear just how much they miss their versatile guard. But there’s finally a bit of light at the end of the tunnel-Giddey could be nearing a return.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan shared some encouraging news ahead of Friday’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. After nearly three weeks sidelined with a hamstring injury, Giddey is on track to ramp up his activity.
The plan? Get him some reps with the team’s G-League affiliate this weekend to test how that hamstring holds up in a live setting.
“There is some hope maybe on Sunday that [Josh] can get into practice with those [G-League] guys and get at least some playing,” Donovan said. “So far, with the ramp-up that’s started, there’s been no setbacks.
I think he feels pretty good. But I’d like to see him get into one of those practices and see where he’s at.
But he’s certainly progressing in a good way and I feel good where he’s at.”
That’s a cautiously optimistic update, and one the Bulls desperately need. Since Giddey went down, Chicago has gone 4-4-right around league average, which is reflected in their net rating of exactly 0.0 over that span (14th in the NBA). But "average" isn’t going to cut it in a crowded Eastern Conference playoff race.
Before the injury, Giddey was doing a little bit of everything-and doing it at a high level. In 30 games this season, he’s averaging a near triple-double: 21.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 9.9 assists per game. That kind of all-around production, paired with efficient shooting splits (.466 from the field, .386 from three, and .761 from the line), has made him the engine of an offense that’s otherwise struggled to find rhythm.
His absence has left a noticeable void, and while the Bulls have stayed afloat, they’re not gaining ground. They currently hold a slim half-game lead over the Atlanta Hawks for the ninth seed and trail the eighth-place Miami Heat by 1.5 games. That’s not exactly breathing room.
The next few games could be pivotal. Chicago faces Brooklyn in back-to-back matchups this weekend-games that could swing their standing either way.
After that, the schedule gets brutal: a four-game stretch against the Clippers, Timberwolves, Celtics, and Lakers looms large. That’s a gauntlet of playoff-caliber teams, and without Giddey, it’s going to be a grind.
If Giddey can return soon-and return close to the form he showed before the injury-the Bulls have a shot to solidify their spot in the Play-In mix, maybe even climb higher. But if his recovery takes longer or he needs time to get back into rhythm, Chicago’s margin for error could vanish quickly.
For now, all eyes are on Sunday’s potential G-League run. It’s just a practice, but for the Bulls, it could be the first real step toward getting their most productive player back in the fold-and just in time for the stretch run.