Bulls guard Alex Caruso might start off on Trae Young at the tip off of Wednesday’s play-in game, but will be ready to switch onto whichever Hawks scorer might get hot.
David Banks/AP
It wasn’t like Alex Caruso was giving away trade secrets.
The Bulls’ defensive-minded standout was asked who he would likely be assigned to once Wednesday’s play-in game with the Hawks tips off, and quickly insisted Trae Young.
And that’s also the beauty of Caruso and his game.
It will likely start with Young, but then after that it’s basically any Hawks scorer that quickly needs to be locked down.
In Caruso’s mind he’s the handcuff and has the only key.
“I probably will change throughout the game, too, based on minutes, how they match up,” Caruso insisted on Tuesday. “And if anyone gets going my ego will probably take over and I’ll try to guard them.”
That’s just one of the reasons the Bulls were feeling pretty good about themselves in prepping for the win-or-go-home No. 9 vs. No. 10 game. Because they just don’t have Caruso to throw at Young, but they might also have Ayo Dosunmu.
The former Illinois standout had been sidelined the last four regular-season games with an injured right quadriceps but was seen running a full-contact scrimmage with reserves and player development coaches as Bulls practice was wrapping up.
Caruso is a strong candidate for First-Team All-Defense after receiving the honor last season because of his versatility, but Dosunmu is specifically a headache for Young.
In the two games against Atlanta earlier this season in which Young was healthy and playing, Young went a combined 5-of-23 from three and 9-of-31 from the field. Dosunmu wasn’t the only defender on him obviously but saw heavy minutes guarding Young.
The fact that he could be available to return means coach Billy Donovan will have multiple options waiting for Atlanta. If the swelling in the quad area continues to go down overnight then he will likely be cleared.
“It’s really just trying to be able to sprint at a top speed,” Dosunmu said. “That’s pretty much the last hurdle I’m trying to get over. I’m doing massages, different stretches, different mobility things, ice, stim, heat, everything just to try to move the bruise in that area and be able to get to a top sprint without discomfort.”
Considering Andre Drummond (left ankle) did nothing on Tuesday after further swelling in his ankle, he’s likely doubtful, and the Bulls did announce that Onuralp Bitim would miss the rest of the season to have a detached retina in his right eye repaired.
Getting Dosunmu back would be a welcomed boost for morale.
“Having another body would obviously be great,” Donovan said of Dosunmu. “But I also know Ayo’s the kind of guy that if he was out there and it was detrimental to the team or just wasn’t able to do the things that he knows he’s capable of doing at the level he wants to do them, then it makes it hard. I think he’s worked really hard against Trae Young. But I’d think he’d probably tell you it’s taken 100% of him to do that.”
Not that the Bulls are concerned with being short-handed. After all, since 2021, it’s kind of been their wheelhouse.
With what’s at stake and the hands already long callused in the playing undermanned department, it’s very much a go-with-what-we-got mentality.
“We are getting ready to play a game for our lives and I think we showed that competitive spirit and that attention to detail against probably the hottest team in the league (the Knicks on Sunday) or one of them going into the postseason, so I think we are ready for the moment,” Caruso said. “There’s nothing that is too big for anybody on our team. We’ve played in big games throughout the year against good teams. A lot of these guys were on the team last year who played in the play-in. We’re ready for the moment. It’s just about showing up and playing.”