Green out vs. Mavs, misses 3rd game with knee injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Javonte Green will not play in the Chicago Bulls’ Saturday night home matchup against Dallas Mavericks, Billy Donovan told reporters pregame.
The news poises Green to miss his third consecutive game with a bone bruise in his right knee suffered on a collision with Stephen Curry during a Dec. 2 loss at the Golden State Warriors.
Green participated in Bulls practice Friday and shootaround Saturday morning, and was listed as questionable on the injury report instead of doubtful (as he was for Wednesday’s game against the Wizards). Those, Donovan affirmed, are signs that the injury is progressing positively.
“(I have just been) staying off of it as much as I can, icing it, trying to strengthen up the quad,” Green said after shootaround of the rehab process, adding the knee feels “alright” when asked.
Green appeared in the Bulls’ first 22 games of the season, averaging six points, 3.1 rebounds and one steal in 16.4 minutes per contest. The first 21 of those appearances came off the bench. But he, along with Alex Caruso, was inserted into the starting lineup ahead of the loss to the Warriors.
Billy Donovan has said he will likely return Green to the first unit whenever the 6-foot-4 forward next plays. The Bulls’ coach made the lineup change in part to counter his team’s sluggish defensive starts, and also to take an extended look at Caruso and Green alongside the Bulls’ stars and Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Williams with the second unit.
“Whether I’m coming off the bench or I’m starting, I’m playing the same way,” Green stressed.
That style is predicated on energy and disruption, two traits the Bulls sorely miss as they look to right the ship on an underwhelming 10-14 start to the season.
Click here to follow the Bulls Talk Podcast.
Download
Download MyTeams Today!
