The Chicago Bulls enter the brand new yr juggling accidents to 3 gamers who’ve began this season.
Aneesah Morrow continues to pile up double-doubles in her new function for LSU.
And the Illinois males might knock off the highest staff within the nation Friday.
Every Wednesday all through the season, Tribune writers will present an replace on what occurred — and what’s forward — for the Bulls, Sky and native basketball.
Bulls hold injured trio dwelling to expedite restoration
The Bulls are getting by with their shortest and youngest rotations of the season as they handle accidents to Zach LaVine (proper foot), Torrey Craig (proper foot) and Nikola Vučević (left groin). Coach Billy Donovan is eager for some aid within the coming weeks.
The Bulls saved all three gamers dwelling from this week’s journey to Philadelphia and New York to proceed their restoration. The staff sometimes prefers injured gamers to journey to keep up cohesion throughout the staff, however Donovan stated the medical employees felt the extra coaching time in Chicago may benefit all three.
LaVine has begun contact apply with the Windy City Bulls, which might put together him for a return throughout the subsequent week. Vučević has not been cleared for contact apply, however he’ll want a much less intensive ramping-up interval as a result of shorter absence.
Craig could possibly be the final to return as he undergoes the gradual restoration course of for a sprained plantar fascia. His unique timeline of eight to 10 weeks positioned his estimated return in late February.
Although Craig was hopeful he might velocity up that course of — joking that he could possibly be again in two weeks — he has but to be cleared for contact apply. During Bulls practices, he has been engaged on small workout routines on a padded floor along with his sneakers off beneath the supervision of a staff coach.
Aneesah Morrow is a double-double machine for LSU
If one factor is assured in 2024, it’s a slew of double-doubles from Chicago native Aneesah Morrow.
The switch from DePaul recorded her ninth double-double in 14 video games this season Saturday when she tallied 20 factors and 10 rebounds in opposition to Jacksonville. Morrow is second behind All-American Angel Reese in each scoring (18.4 ppg) and rebounding (9.5 per recreation) for the defending nationwide champion Tigers (13-1).
When Morrow first transferred to LSU, the principle query she confronted was the way to compete with Reese for a spot within the rotation. The Tigers have flipped round that query to their competitors: How can groups gradual the one-two punch of Reese and Morrow within the beginning lineup collectively?
Morrow is also averaging 2.9 steals and 1.6 blocks. But she has even larger objectives for herself in her junior yr.
“I want to get that to at least 13 or 14 (rebounds per game),” Morrow instructed CBS Sports in December. “I do know it’s going to be laborious, so I’m going to want to have some huge rebounding video games.
“I want to also break the school record for steals (in a game). I’ve come so close to it, and I know I can do that any given night if I continue to stay aggressive.”
Illinois males put together for showdown with No. 1
No. 9 Illinois might knock off the highest staff within the nation when it visits Purdue on Friday (7:30 p.m., Fox-32).
The Illini went 5-1 in December to enhance to 10-2. Their solely losses are to No. 5 Tennessee and No. 7 Marquette.
Purdue is the one presently ranked opponent Illinois will face till March, after they go to No. 21 Wisconsin and host the rematch in opposition to the Boilermakers in two of the ultimate three regular-season video games.
There is one apparent problem in any recreation in opposition to Purdue: defending 7-foot-4 heart Zach Edey. Last season’s nationwide participant of the yr is averaging 23.2 factors and 10.2 rebounds this season.
“We have really, really good players and quality depth, and it might not have shown with some of the young guys in some of these early games,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood stated. “We played a very demanding and challenging schedule. It’s a blessing that I have an old team and a team that is very dedicated and committed to each other and the process.”
Number of the week: 21.3
There’s by no means a doubt when Andre Drummond is on the courtroom and a shot goes up that he’ll discover a technique to get the ball.
Drummond has dominated the boards throughout his first three begins with the Bulls instead of Vučević, averaging 21.3 rebounds, simply probably the most within the league throughout that span.
Rebounding all the time has been on the coronary heart of Drummond’s efficiency on the courtroom. He snagged 9 within the first quarter of Saturday’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers and completed with 23 — solely 13 fewer than your complete 76ers.
“When he decides to go get the rebound, there ain’t a whole lot you can do to stop him,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse stated. “We talk about ‘sandwich’ — where one guy’s in front, one guy’s in back — that’s sandwich rebounding. It’s like a club sandwich. You need three or four slices of bread in there to stop him.”
Drummond will transfer again into the second unit as soon as Vučević returns, however this span of begins has emphasised his significance on the glass.
Week forward: Bulls
- Wednesday: at Knicks, 7:30 p.m., ABC-7
- Thursday: Off
- Friday: vs. Hornets, 7 p.m., NBCSCH
- Saturday: Off
- Sunday: Off
- Monday: at Hornets, 6 p.m., NBCSCH
- Tuesday: Off
What we’re studying this morning
This week in Chicago basketball
Jan. 7, 1927: The Original Harlem Globetrotters performed their first street recreation in Hinckley, Ill.
Abe Saperstein created the group initially generally known as the Savoy Big Five — named after the Savoy Ballroom in Chicago.
Besides victories over pushover opponents, the Globetrotters received a 1940 event to put declare to being basketball’s skilled champions and prompting Arch Ward, the Tribune sports activities editor who created baseball’s All-Star Game, to proclaim: “The Harlem Globetrotters are the best-known team in professional basketball.”
In 1948, the Globetrotters beat the Minneapolis Lakers of the newly established National Basketball Association.
In 2016, an indication exterior Hinckley-Big Rock High School commemorated the ninetieth anniversary of the primary Globetrotters street recreation performed there.
Quotable
“I don’t do nothing else. I don’t hang out. When I go home, I’m home. I’m off my feet, chilling. I’m with my kids, watching TV, taking five-hour naps. I stay on top of it.” — DeMar DeRozan explaining how he prioritizes restoration as he logs the NBA’s highest workload for a participant over 30
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Source: www.bostonherald.com