Nic Claxton’s path back to the floor has been moving in the right direction, and now the Bulls have taken another step that puts his debut within reach.
The offseason addition from the Brooklyn Nets has been out since the early part of training camp with a hamstring strain. He didn’t get back into full practice with his new teammates until November 1, but he came through that session without any setbacks. After that, Chicago bumped him up to doubtful for Monday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Now, with a trip to Madison Square Garden on deck, the Bulls have upgraded him again. Claxton is listed as questionable, which means his first appearance in a Bulls uniform could come in just a matter of hours.
That update comes even though Tiago Splitter sounded cautious earlier in the week. On November 2, after Claxton was back on the court in practice, the head coach said, “he’s still not ready” and that the staff is taking it “day by day.”
So there’s still a real chance Chicago keeps him out a little longer. The Bulls also have a rare three full days off after this one before their next game Sunday afternoon at home, which gives them some breathing room if they want to be patient.
But that same break could also work in favor of getting Claxton some live action now. If he does play, it would almost certainly come with a tight minutes restriction. Even so, it would give the projected starting center a chance to ease in before getting more recovery time.
His return would matter, too. Chicago’s defense was at its best of the season in the first meeting with the Knicks a week ago.
The champs still finished strong late, but the Bulls held New York to 18-41 shooting in the restricted area. Replicating that kind of effort in Madison Square Garden is a tall order, but Claxton gives them another tool to try.
Rebounding was another issue in that matchup. The Bulls lost that battle 50-39 and gave up 23 second-chance points. Claxton hasn’t been a huge rebound producer over the last couple of years, but he does add another big, mobile body who can help on the glass and fight for contested boards.
There’s also another frontcourt note on the injury report: Jalen Smith remains probable with his finger injury. He played against the 76ers and posted 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. With Smith performing well despite the team’s rough stretch, Splitter may have a tricky minutes puzzle to sort out once Claxton is cleared.
Nic Claxton - QUESTIONABLE (hamstring)
Jalen Smith - PROBABLE (finger)
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