Bulls hopeful Josh Giddey (wrist) will be cleared for play-in match
Point guard Josh Giddey, who played a crucial role in the Chicago Bulls' qualification for the NBA play-in tournament, did not make the trip to Philadelphia for their final regular season game. Instead, he stayed at home to receive treatment for his injured right wrist.
In a press conference on Sunday, coach Billy Donovan expressed "high-level optimism" that Giddey will be able to play in the home play-in game against the Miami Heat on Wednesday. He sat out of the Bulls' 119-89 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday.
As the 9th seed, the Bulls (38-43) will need to defeat the Heat (37-44) and then the loser of the play-in game between the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks in order to secure a spot in the playoffs.
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The winner of the final play-in game will face the top seed of the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Giddey, 22, has been averaging 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game this season, but his performance has been even more impressive since the All-Star break. In his last 19 games, he has been averaging 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 9.3 assists.
In a 119-111 victory over the Heat last Wednesday, Giddey recorded a triple-double with 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists. This achievement also marked him as one of only three players, alongside LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, to reach 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists in the 2024-25 season.
He joined the ranks of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, both Hall of Fame members, as the only players in Bulls history to achieve these numbers in a single season.
