The Bulls will be without several key players when they take on the Pacers.
The Chicago Bulls desperately need a victory to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot. They’ll have a chance on Wednesday when they face the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis. However, the Bulls will have to go to battle without their best player, DeMar DeRozan, who was diagnosed with a grade 1 thigh strain, and Derrick Jones Jr., who left their last game with a strained groin.
Walking wounded
Since a 26-31 record is good for 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, the Bulls could not have picked a worse time to be decimated by injuries. The team remains without Lonzo Ball and Javonte Green, as they are still recovering from knee surgeries. It also isn’t clear if defensive specialist Alex Caruso, who missed the last game against the Orlando Magic, would be able to suit up because of a sore foot.
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Trying to bounce back
The Bulls and Pacers have so far split their games this season, with Indiana getting the last one, 116-110. Chicago, though, has lost four in a row, including a 100-91 loss to the Orlando Magic earlier this week. Despite the mounting setbacks, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said the team remains resilient in their desire to get back on the winning track.
“We came in and worked to try to get better,” Donovan said. “Their spirit has always been like that, to try to come back. I think the group has character from that standpoint. We’ve got to certainly play better, compete better. I don’t want to make it sound like, ‘Everything is great. Everything is rosy.’ But there’s still a spirit of wanting to get better and wanting to improve.”
With DeRozan out, much will be on the shoulders of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic to lead the team against a tough Pacers squad. The Bulls hope that they can come away with a win against Indiana and keep their goal of making the postseason alive.
Tough 🔥@ZachLaVine | @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/wOk40HnBVz
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 14, 2023
