The Chicago Bulls are making a push for the play-in tournament despite losing a number of guys due to injury or at the NBA trade deadline. Josh Giddey has been a primary reason for the Bulls maintaining the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference.
Unfortunately, Giddey left the Monday night's game against the Indiana Pacers with a right ankle sprain. He did not return to the contest, putting a lot of uncertainty into the severity of his injured ankle.
Bulls' Josh Giddey gets injury update amid historic run
After the team's scheduled practice in Chicago on Wednesday, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan announced that Josh Giddey is “going to be out for a little bit” with the injury, according to KC Johnson of Chicago Sports Network.
Giddey was reportedly seen doing toe raises at practice and walking without much of a limp. During his media availability, Giddey said it's the most pain that he's ever experienced with a sprained ankle, but that the pain and swelling have significantly gone down over the last two days.
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) drives to the basket against Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) during the second quarter at Kaseya Center.
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Giddey played 27 minutes and 52 seconds in the Bulls' 121-103 victory over the Tyrese Haliburton-less Pacers. The Bulls guard finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists in the victory while shooting 11-of-18 from the field. The Bulls were a +26 in the nearly 28 minutes he played.
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Since the All-Star break, the Chicago Bulls are 5-5, but are 5-4 when Josh Giddey plays. Over those nine games, Giddey is averaging 23.1 points, 10.9 rebounds, 8.4 assists, and 1.0 steal per game while shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 52.5 percent from three.
Giddey's recent stretch has been so good from an individual statistical standpoint, he joined Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson, Luka Doncic, Fat Lever, Michael Jordan, and James Harden as the only guards in NBA history to average 22 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists over a nine-game span in a single season.
List of guards in NBA history who averaged 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists over a 9-game span in a single season:
🏀 Russell Westbrook
🏀 Oscar Robertson
🏀 Luka Doncic
🏀 Fat Lever
🏀 Michael Jordan
🏀 James Harden
🏀 … And now Josh Giddey pic.twitter.com/oUr7F937oJ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 11, 2025
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The Bulls have also outscored their opponents by 89 points in 315 minutes with Giddey on the floor during this nine game stretch, which is fourth in the NBA behind only Stephen Curry (+103), Kevin Huerter (+95+ and De'Andre Hunter (+90). With Giddey off the floor, the Bulls have been outscored by 70 points in 175 minutes.
The Bulls are currently four and a half games up on the Philadelphia 76ers for the 10th and final play-in spot. The Sixers appear to be actively tanking, so the Bulls should have enough to maintain their lead on the rest of the teams below them in the Eastern Conference standings.
Chicago will play host to the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night before heading on a six-game road trip that will have them facing the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, and Denver Nuggets.