The Chicago Bulls are heading into Tuesday night’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks with a growing list of injuries-and one key absence stands out. Josh Giddey has officially been ruled out due to a left hamstring strain, according to the NBA Injury Report. It’s the fourth straight game he’ll miss, and his presence is definitely felt when he’s not on the floor.
Giddey’s been a stat-sheet stuffer all season, averaging 18.6 points, 8.8 assists, and 8.6 rebounds per game. He’s shooting a solid 46.2% from the field and 36.6% from beyond the arc, and his versatility as a playmaker has been central to the Bulls’ offensive rhythm. But lately, his availability has been inconsistent, and that’s left Chicago needing to adjust on the fly.
Without Giddey, the Bulls are leaning more heavily on their guard rotation. Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu have both shown flashes of stepping up in his absence, and rookie Matas Buzelis continues to get valuable reps. Still, replacing Giddey's ability to initiate offense, control pace, and rebound from the guard spot is no easy task.
Chicago enters this game at 24-26, sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference. It’s been a rollercoaster stretch recently, especially in their three-game series against the Miami Heat over the weekend. The Bulls dropped two of those matchups-falling 116-113 on Thursday and suffering a blowout 134-91 loss on Sunday-though they did manage a 125-118 win on Saturday in between.
The Bucks, meanwhile, are also navigating some turbulence. At 18-29, they’re 12th in the East and dealing with injury issues of their own.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is out with a right calf strain, and he’s joined on the sidelines by Gary Harris, Kevin Porter Jr., and Taurean Prince. Bobby Portis is listed as questionable with a right hip contusion, leaving Milwaukee’s frontcourt in flux.
Chicago’s injury report is even longer, with eight players listed. In addition to Giddey, Zach Collins (right toe sprain), Noa Essengue (shoulder surgery), Tre Jones (hamstring), and Dario Saric (not with team) are all out. Kevin Huerter (back spasms), Julian Phillip (wrist sprain), and Jalen Smith (calf) are all questionable.
With both teams banged up and looking to climb the standings, this game could come down to which supporting cast can rise to the occasion. For the Bulls, that means more responsibility for White and Dosunmu to create offense and keep the tempo high. For the Bucks, it’s about finding production without their MVP and hoping for a spark from their depth.
One thing’s clear: without Giddey in the lineup, the Bulls lose a key connector on both ends of the floor. If they want to stay in the playoff picture, they’ll need to find a way to weather this stretch-and fast.