The lop-sided score plastered all around the United Center on Monday was the least of Billy Donovan’s problems.
Before Minnesota took the Bulls coach and his team to the woodshed with the 136-101 win, Donovan announced in the pregame presser that Zach Collins would be lost for at least a week with a right big toe sprain.
Losing a reserve big for most teams is a body blow at best, but the Bulls aren’t most teams. The roster construction is so fragile that any one of the pieces in the main 10-man rotation that is lost instantly becomes a standing 8-count.
The knockout came a few hours later.
First, Coby White left the game in the first half, again dealing with a right calf injury that cost him almost three months after he first suffered it back in August. Then 30 seconds into the second half, Josh Giddey grabbed his left hamstring and walked straight to the locker room, never to return.
That meant Donovan was without his two leading scorers, one of his best rebounders and play-makers in Giddey, and the physicality in the paint that Collins brings.
Good luck.
“It’s definitely a shock of course,” forward Isaac Okoro said of the injuries after the game. “Those are two of the guys (in Giddey and White) that usually have the ball in their hands for this team, that play-make for this team, but at the end of the day we’ve got to step up as a team. Everybody has to be a little better, take it up a notch, but still play their game.”
And that was Donovan’s message to the entire locker room.
“Are the injuries impactful? Yes, but these guys are all pros and are here to play,” Donovan said. “I think there’s enough there with (guards) Ayo (Dosunmu), Kevin Huerter and Tre Jones to carry the load.”
There wasn’t on Monday, and the Timberwolves took full advantage of all of it.
When White checked out in the first quarter, the Bulls were up 9-8. When Giddey pulled up lame, they were only down two points 55-53.
By the time the final stanza started, the Timberwolves were up 95-78, outscoring the suddenly undermanned home team 40-28 in the third.
The only injury Donovan had any sort of clarity on was Collins’, and even that was a wait-and-see.
“Because of the swelling and stuff, the doctors want to let it calm down, not put a timeline on it,” Donovan said. “I certainly don’t anticipate him being back this week, but I think in a couple days we’ll have a better idea once he sees the doctors.”
Not exactly a player the Bulls can afford to be without very long, and Minnesota reminded them exactly why. Not only did the Timberwolves out-rebound the Bulls but outscored them in the paint.
“I feel bad for Zach,” Donovan said. “I think he’s played very well, and obviously coming out of the wrist injury and the break (suffered in the preseason), keeping himself in shape, and then him coming back, I think he made a pretty significant impact and allowed us to play big. His physicality, rebounding, some of the things he did screening-wise, I think really helped us.”
The Bulls (15-17) have an off-day on Tuesday, before welcoming in New Orleans on Wednesday, so not exactly a lot of time to heal up. If there was a silver lining after the game, while Giddey didn’t meet with reporters he was in good spirits and left the arena without any noticeable discomfort.
A short-term setback? Donovan and the Bulls better hope so.