The walking wounded continued to grow with Andre Drummond and Ayo Dosunmu each in street clothes on Thursday.
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Bulls coach Billy Donovan has pointed out several times the last few weeks that he’s been handcuffed with “$70 million not playing.”
That just went up to at least $80 million.
Guard Ayo Dosunmu (right quadriceps contusion) and Andre Drummond (left ankle sprain) both missed the Thursday game in Detroit, and there are some growing concerns that the two players could miss the final two regular-season games and be in danger of missing the play-in game against Atlanta next week.
The Bulls were already short-handed a good portion of the season with Lonzo Ball (left knee) out all season, and Zach LaVine and Patrick Williams undergoing season-ending foot surgeries.
It sounded like Dosunmu was in a little better shape to return, missing his second straight game with the injury, while Drummond was in and out of a boot as well as using a scooter to get around and keep weight off the ankle.
Not exactly injuries that build momentum going into next week’s do-or-die game.
“I don’t love the fact for them that they’re missing time with the limited amount of games left, and then you talk about after Sunday’s game, don’t know what their availability will be,” Donovan said. “You talk about going through several missed games and then going through their availability to play in the play-in. That’s always different for guys, coming back and not having any games to so to speak get under their belt.
“I don’t worry about Ayo’s conditioning or Andre’s conditioning. I’m hopeful that it’s not going to be longer than the remainder of the season, but I just don’t know.”
Donovan had enough depth to deal with Detroit, using Jevon Carter off the bench to help fill the Dosunmu minutes, while rookie Adama Sanogo earned Drummond’s back-up center minutes, getting the most impactful playing time he’s had all season long.
The other injury that remained an unknown was rookie Julian Phillips, who has been dealing with a right foot sprain.
Phillips last played in mid-March, and it might be time to start projecting that he would also miss the remainder of the season and the play-in game.
Campaign trail
The Bulls public relations department has already released videos and campaigned for Coby White winning the league’s Most Improved Player Award, as well as Alex Caruso repeating as an NBA All-Defense First Team, and prior to the Pistons game it was time to push veteran DeMar DeRozan for the NBA’s Clutch Award.
DeRozan was no stranger to the Jerry West Trophy, finishing behind De’Aaron Fox last season, along with former Bull Jimmy Butler.
He entered the Pistons game 2nd in the league in clutch points (177) this season, first in fourth quarter scoring (540 points), leading the league in overtime scoring (53 points), and first in clutch free throws made (64), all for a team that was tied for first in the league in clutch wins with 26.
Last season was the first year that award was presented.