Trail Blazers Vs Bulls: Bulls Rule Out Jalen Smith and Patrick Williams Ahead of Meeting
The Chicago Bulls will enter their meeting with the Trail Blazers without Jalen Smith and Patrick Williams, the latest additions to a swelling injury report in the wake of the NBA trade deadline. Trail Blazers Vs Bulls is now set without those two frontcourt options, and coach Billy Donovan said both players are expected to be sidelined for at least a week before beginning a ramp-up.
Trail Blazers Vs Bulls: Smith, Williams ruled out
Smith and Williams were both held out of practice on Wednesday, and each progressed to an official game absence. Jalen Smith left the team's meeting with the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday after feeling tightness in a previously injured calf; he was doubtful on Thursday before being officially ruled out for the meeting with the Trail Blazers. Patrick Williams, who had moved into the starting lineup against the New York Knicks, missed practice for imaging on his quad and was also ruled out after entering the day as doubtful.
Injuries have grown since the trade deadline
The Bulls' injury report has only grown in the aftermath of the trade deadline, with multiple players sidelined. Jaden Ivey alerted the team to knee soreness and has been ruled out for at least two weeks. Sharpshooter Anfernee Simons re-aggravated a fracture in his wrist that he suffered in training camp with the Boston Celtics and has joined the list of unavailable players.
What happened in practice and meetings
On Wednesday both Smith and Williams were held out of practice; Smith specifically left the Detroit Pistons meeting with calf tightness, while Williams was away from practice for imaging on his quad. The initial hope for Smith was that brief rest might allow a return, but he was listed doubtful on Thursday before being ruled out for the Trail Blazers meeting. Donovan shared before the game that both players are now expected to be sidelined for at least a week before starting their ramp-up (h/t K. C. Johnson), which puts each in a position to miss more than four games.
Williams' recent play and the truncated note
Williams' absence was described as surprising because he had moved into the starting lineup against the New York Knicks and had been playing some solid basketball, appearing more assertive on offense and helping in the distributing department. The report also included a fragment that reads "Williams offers some much-needed streng" and then cuts off; unclear in the provided context.
Immediate effect on the Bulls rotation
From an on-court perspective, Donovan faces a brutal short-term blow. The team is already described as undersized, and losing Smith and Williams removes two of the larger, longer options in the frontcourt for upcoming games. For those focused on a longer-term roster strategy, the new absences may not change much, but for game-to-game rotations this reduces size and length against opponents like the Trail Blazers and recent opponents such as the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons.
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Billy Donovan said both Smith and Williams will start a ramp-up after at least a week away, and the next confirmed milestone for the team is the meeting with the Trail Blazers, which now proceeds without Jalen Smith and Patrick Williams.
