Bulls Guard Tre Jones’ Return from Foot Injury Faces Uncertainty
Introduction to the Injury
Tre Jones was still in his two-week recovery window for a left foot sprain, but there’s no doubt that the runway for a return continued losing landing area. According to Bulls coach Billy Donovan, the guard was still in a walking boot and still experiencing pain.
Current Status of the Injury
“The biggest thing is going to end up being, or at least the hope is, that he does come out of the boot and he is pain-free,” Donovan said Saturday. “If he still has some pain after the two weeks, I don’t know what the doctor’s recommendation would be – does he stay in the boot, does he get out of it? They want to see him walking without a boot without any pain. Certainly, it’s subsided from where it was. He has the boot on all day long and then he’s not sleeping with it, but they want to keep that foot pretty immobile for at least those two weeks.”
Background of the Injury
Jones suffered the injury in the March 20 win in Sacramento, and the initial hope was he’d get out of the window pain free and be ready for the final week of the regular season and into the play-in tournament. That could still be the case, but the fact that the progress has been minimal does put it in jeopardy.
Other Injury Updates
Not the only medical progress hitting speed bumps, either. The hope coming out of the six-city West Coast trip was that Lonzo Ball (right wrist) would be ready to go this week. Ball quickly dimmed that hope on Wednesday, saying he needed another week because he wasn’t pain-free on his shooting follow-through.
Lonzo Ball’s Status
Donovan gave an update before the game with Dallas, however, and said they likely won’t have clarity until mid-week, after the back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday. “Still trying to get past that last bit of pain that’s preventing him from following through,” Donovan said. “It’s just been slow. We’re hopeful next week, so to speak. He’s out there running. The biggest issue is trying to get him playing a little bit. He’s done enough on the bike and running, but he’s going to need some playing, so I think maybe next week coming off the back-to-back we do have a practice day that we can get in, so hopefully he’ll be able to be part of that.” Ball has now missed the last 14 games, after the same wrist injury cost him 15 games at the start of the season.
Shooting Frenzy
Shooting frenzy, Donovan didn’t love the fundamentals of Dalen Terry’s jump shot coming out of Arizona, and truth be told, neither did Terry. The third-year player has put a lot of work into fixing his shot, and the numbers are starting to show that, especially from long range. Terry was a 25.9% shooter from three as a rookie, dipped down to 23% last season, and entered Saturday’s game against the Mavs at 36.8% this year, including 42.3% in the month of March.
Improvement in Dalen Terry’s Shot
“Fundamentally, it’s in a good place,” Terry said of his shot. “I put in so many hours with it and I’m just glad that all that work is starting to show. I’m just trying to keep going, keep working on it to make sure that I can become one of those guys you can’t leave open.”
Defensive Strategy
It’s rare that an NBA coach uses a box-and-one zone at this level, but Donovan admittedly uses principles of that defense the last month or so. “The matchup and communicating is really a high priority,” Donovan said of that look. “Some of it is just to break flow and tempo if we feel teams are getting into a pretty good rhythm, if there’s something that’s really causing us a problem.”
Conclusion
The Bulls are facing challenges with injuries to key players like Tre Jones and Lonzo Ball. While there are positive developments, such as Dalen Terry’s improved shooting, the team’s defensive strategy, and the potential return of injured players, the uncertainty surrounding Jones’ return from his foot injury adds to the complexity of their current situation.
FAQs
Q: What is Tre Jones’ current status with his foot injury?
A: Tre Jones is still in a walking boot and experiencing pain from his left foot sprain, with minimal progress in his recovery.
Q: When can we expect Lonzo Ball to return from his wrist injury?
A: The exact return date for Lonzo Ball is uncertain, but the team is hopeful that he will be ready to play next week, depending on his progress in overcoming the pain that is preventing him from following through on his shot.
Q: How has Dalen Terry improved his shooting?
A: Dalen Terry has worked on the fundamentals of his jump shot and has seen significant improvement, especially from three-point range, shooting 36.8% this year and 42.3% in March.
Q: What defensive strategy has Coach Billy Donovan been using?
A: Coach Donovan has been using principles of a box-and-one zone defense to break the flow and tempo of opposing teams and to address specific matchup challenges.
