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Alex Caruso misses the game vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers; Billy Donovan says the timeline for a return is uncertain

Chicago’s injury woes worsen with Alex Caruso missing the game versus Cleveland.

Stephen Beslic

© Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
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Just when everybody thought the Chicago Bulls’ misfortune with injuries couldn’t get any worse, it did. Starting guard Alex Caruso missed Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to an injured right hamstring that he suffered in the fourth quarter of the game versus the Detroit Pistons.

Although he tried to give it a go, returning to the match with four minutes remaining, Bulls coach Billy Donovan decided to take him out for good, saying he did not like how the former Texas A&M star was moving.

Treatment did not work

According to Donovan, Caruso had his injury treated by the medical staff and trainers. However, the quick turnaround from the game against the Pistons to Wednesday’s match-up against the Cavs did not give Caruso enough time to fully recover.

This is just the latest in a string of unfortunate events for the Bulls this season. The team has been plagued with injuries since the start of the year, with key players like Zach LaVine and Patrick Williams already done for the season due to foot surgeries. Torrey Craig also sprained his knee in training during the All-Star break, leaving him without a concrete timeline for a return.

When will Caruso return?

Donovan explained that Caruso’s return would depend on how well his hamstring will respond to the treatment.

“A lot of it will depend on how he responds [to treatment],” Donovan said.

“I didn’t really ask what the timeline would be, so we’ll probably have a better idea [Thursday] once he goes through some treatment and they see him a little bit more.”

After the Bulls faced off against the second-best team in the East—the Cavs—they will take on the East’s third-best squad, the Milwaukee Bucks, on Friday. The absence of Caruso in that game could prove disastrous, leaving few options for defending two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

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Stephen Beslic
STEPHEN BESLIC

Stephen Beslic is a writer on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Network. Stephen played basketball from the age of 10 and graduated from Faculty of Economic and Business in Zagreb, Croatia, majoring in Marketing.

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