Doug McDermott cleared for contact; could return at end of next week

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Reinforcements are on the way for the Bulls bench as Doug McDermott could be back late next week, passing the next step in the concussion protocol before Friday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers and being cleared for contact practices.

He’ll probably miss the stretch of four games in five nights that started Friday, but it’s a possibility he can play next Thursday against the San Antonio Spurs at the United Center if he can get his conditioning under control and not suffer any setbacks.

McDermott missed his eighth straight game Friday after suffering a concussion from a fall against the Wizards on Nov. 12. It’s his second concussion of the season and it was clear the Bulls and team doctors were being careful with the third-year forward.

“He’s gotta go through some practices before he’s fully cleared, but it’s a step in the right direction,” said Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg before Friday’s game.

The bench has suffered mightily with McDermott and Michael Carter-Williams out, and there’s a chance he could get back on the floor late next week too if all things work out.

With McDermott, who’s averaged 10.6 points and shot 36 percent from 3 this season (43 percent last year), his return will push other players into more natural positions and presumably, lessen the pressure the bench has been under considering the way its underwhelmed recently.

The Bulls won’t have a practice day until after Thursday’s game, so he may go to Hoffman Estates to get some run before getting back to real action.

And considering he’s had two concussions, he’s gotta feel confident in playing again and secure enough that he won’t be afraid of another concussion occurring.

“It’s gonna take him at least a couple days to have full practices. He may practice with the Windy City (D-League team), contact,” Hoiberg said. “The big thing for him is the mental hurdle of going out and getting hit. The physicality this game presents. That’s as big as anything for Doug to clear that final hurdle.”

The Bulls went 3-for-18 against the Cavaliers from three-point range despite their 111-105 win, and those numbers have been more commonplace recently, especially with the struggles of Nikola Mirotic and Isaiah Canaan off the bench.

[SHOP: Gear up, Bulls fans!]

Canaan is shooting 29 percent from three and Mirotic is at 28 percent. The space has been limited and Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler have been more aggressively double-teamed as the shooting has gotten more scarce.

“Doug’s a guy, he had a 25-point game. He’s a guy the other team talks a lot about in their scouting report,” Hoiberg said. “Anytime you have a knockdown shooter, One of the top guys in the game, you have to gameplan for that. He’s missed, no doubt about that. It’s an opportuniuty for our young guys, no doubt about that. Doug’s got experience and our players look for. We run plays to get Doug shots.”

 

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