The Bulls look likely to face a short-handed Boston Celtics team in the first game back from their current West Coast trip.
Jayson Tatum is expected to enter a 10-to-14 day quarantine period due to the league's health and safety protocols, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. The Bulls host the Celtics on Tuesday.
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That news comes just one day after Boston lost three rotation players -- Tristan Thompson, Robert Williams (who reportedly tested positive for COVID-19) and Grant Williams -- for at least one week due to protocol.
In their first game without those three on Friday, the Celtics beat the Washington Wizards 116-107 behind 32 points from Tatum. With the frontcourt thin, Two-Way center Tacko Fall logged 19 minutes, and Semi Ojeleye started.
Now, their depth will be tested further. The Bulls have been without four players since Dec. 31 in Lauri Markkanen, Ryan Arcidiacono, Chandler Hutchison and Tomáš Satoranský. The latter two returned positive COVID-19 tests.
NBA
Billy Donovan said before Friday's game with the Los Angeles Lakers that Markkanen and Arcidiacono have continued to test negative, and gotten some conditioning work in.
"My guess is when we get back they’ll be able to rejoin the team. But again I think the NBA will make a huge decision on that. They’ll be behind the decision," Donovan said. "The biggest thing for us is when we get back can we just integrate them into the team? My guess is we would be if they continue to test negative. But we’d have only really one day between the next game we would play so if they can get some work in while we are out West that’s helpful to reacclimate them to the team and then hopefully them being in position physically where they can potentially play the next game."
That would be a boost. The Bulls roll into a Sunday matchup with the Clippers 4-6 on the season.