Matas Buzelis to Miss First Game of Season as Bulls' Injury Crisis Deepens

The Chicago Bulls head coach, Billy Donovan, said Wednesday that Matas Buzelis will miss his first game of the season before the team faces the Phoenix Suns on the road, per reports.

Buzelis won't be alone on the sideline. Josh Giddey will also miss the contest after both players sprained their right ankles in Tuesday's home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The injuries occurred in separate incidents during a physical game that saw the Bulls fall short despite competitive play.

Patrick Williams and Jalen Smith, who traveled with the team on roald and were listed as doubtful on the injury report, will continue sitting out, as Donovan confirmed during his pregame press conference. However, Donovan offered optimism that Giddey, Buzelis and Williams' situations are all "day to day," meaning there's hope for their return when the Bulls travel to Sacramento on March 8.

The absence marks Buzelis' first missed game of the season. After playing 80 games as a rookie last year, the Bulls' sophomore followed on the previous consistency and has immersed himself in a larger role during his sophomore campaign, appearing in all 62 games with 62 starts before playing in Phoenix. He's taken a natural leap in his second NBA season, averaging 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 36.7% from three-point range. He delivered a career-high 32 points in a 131-99 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 24, showcasing his growing offensive capabilities and confidence.

Giddey, who just returned on February 19 after missing eight games with a left hamstring injury, will be sidelined once again. The Australian point guard has struggled to maintain consistent availability this season and gel together with the new-look Bulls amid a franchise-worst month in February, where Chicago went on an 11-game losing skid and wrapped the month winless.

These crucial absences also demonstrate a deeper injury issue on the Chicago team following Anfernee Simons (indefinitely) and Jaden Ivey (out for two weeks). As the injury crisis continues haunting the Bulls' rotation, how Donovan deploys his available personnel becomes crucial. As mentioned in the pregame story, the "next man up mentality" must take center stage. The team's only option is digging as deep as possible into their roster depth.

Some optimism from the roster shows that Tre Jones and Colin Sexton appear to be the right backcourt pairing to shoulder increased responsibilities. All eyes will be on Leonard Miller, who has provided recent sparks off the bench, and Guerschon Yabusele to strengthen interior play in Smith's absence. Other reserves like Rob Dillingham and Nick Richards will likely receive expanded minutes to maintain rotational balance.

With four rotation players sidelined, Wednesday's game in Phoenix represents another significant test of Chicago's depth and resilience during a challenging season.