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  3. article_body => "<p>Otto Porter Jr., is making progress rehabilitating nagging lower back spasms that have kept him out of the Bulls' last 12 games, but don't expect him back until after the All-Star break, according to Bulls coach Billy Donovan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cHe's (Porter)&nbsp;been able to do a lot more the last three days. He\u2019s ramped up quite a bit where he\u2019s running, doing conditioning, shooting. Still no contact, but I was on the court with him yesterday watching, and he\u2019s just working to get himself back into shape,\" Donovan said before Friday's home matchup with the Phoenix Suns. \"I think he\u2019s made progress, he\u2019s gotten better, and I think he\u2019s certainly getting advice from the doctors... He\u2019s meeting with them (doctors) on a consistent basis. He\u2019s doing treatment, he\u2019s doing strengthening, and it\u2019s been good the last couple of days that he\u2019s been able to get some cardio and some skill work in as well.\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>While Porter isn't practicing or going through contact drills, that's more on-court activity than he'd been cleared for previously, according to Donovan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Asked if those developments had given the Bulls any more clarity regarding a timeline for Porter's return, Donovan's response held the same touch-and-go theme of Porter injury updates past. Because the injury has limited Porter's mobility, getting his conditioning back up to snuff is the primary concern, and sounds like it will be a process.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>\"I think the biggest part is conditioning. He\u2019s clearly way behind there. I don\u2019t say that in a way it\u2019s anybody\u2019s fault, but he\u2019s been limited in what he\u2019s been able to do physically,\" Donovan said. \"He hasn\u2019t really been able to do that (run), so the last couple of days he\u2019s been able to do that, he\u2019s been able to get conditioning in. Clearly he\u2019s going to have some soreness going through his workouts and he\u2019s got to build up some stamina and strength and certainly some conditioning over this period of time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>\"Having a little less than a week before the All-Star break and then having just a week in that break he\u2019s fully planning on working and getting himself close to ready as possible. I don\u2019t have a date we are targeting to be honest with you, because he hasn\u2019t been able to do too much. It\u2019s just more taking inventory on him each and every day on how he\u2019s feeling and how much more can we push him and how much more can he physically do to get back his conditioning. I don\u2019t know how long that will take. I think we\u2019ll have a lot more clarity of were he is at physically coming out of the (All-Star) break because he will have some real opportunity to get some work in.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>That means the Bulls are expecting to be without both <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/chicago\/bulls\/bulls-lauri-markkanen-unlikely-return-nba-all-star-break\">Lauri Markkanen (shoulder sprain)<\/a> and Porter until after the All-Star break, which this season runs from March 5-10.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Though both Porter and Markkanen&nbsp;have excelled individually early this season, it's not as if the Bulls have sputtered without them. In the 12 most recent games Porter has missed, the team is 7-5; without Markkanen for the last 10, they're 7-3, and enter the weekend on a three-game winning streak.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Including Friday's contest, the Bulls have four games left on their first-half schedule&nbsp;against the Suns, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets and New Orleans Pelicans. By the break, Markkanen will have appeared in 14 games and missed 21, while Porter will have appeared in 16 and missed 19.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>That's bad news for two players that have been riddled by injury throughout their Bulls tenures, and are playing under tenuous long-term circumstances. Markkanen is due to enter restricted free agency this offseason after he and the Bulls were unable to agree to an extension last offseason. Porter is currently in the final year of the four-year, max contract the Washington Wizards matched in the summer of 2017, then traded to the Bulls in February 2019.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/chicago\/podcasts#BullsTalk\"><em><strong>Click here to subscribe to the Bulls Talk Podcast for free.<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-url data-embed-button=\"url\" data-embed-url=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/bulls-talk-podcast\" data-entity-label=\"Embed social\" data-timestamp=\"1610387981\" data-url-provider=\"ART19\"><\/drupal-url>\r\n\r\n<drupal-entity data-embed-button=\"app_promo_embed\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:block_content.full\" data-entity-type=\"block_content\" data-entity-uuid=\"84a634bd-85a1-4e39-9e2a-7d404e5646e3\" data-langcode=\"en\"><\/drupal-entity>\r\n"
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Bulls

/ by Rob Schaefer
Bulls

Otto Porter Jr., is making progress rehabilitating nagging lower back spasms that have kept him out of the Bulls' last 12 games, but don't expect him back until after the All-Star break, according to Bulls coach Billy Donovan.

“He's (Porter) been able to do a lot more the last three days. He’s ramped up quite a bit where he’s running, doing conditioning, shooting. Still no contact, but I was on the court with him yesterday watching, and he’s just working to get himself back into shape," Donovan said before Friday's home matchup with the Phoenix Suns. "I think he’s made progress, he’s gotten better, and I think he’s certainly getting advice from the doctors... He’s meeting with them (doctors) on a consistent basis. He’s doing treatment, he’s doing strengthening, and it’s been good the last couple of days that he’s been able to get some cardio and some skill work in as well."

While Porter isn't practicing or going through contact drills, that's more on-court activity than he'd been cleared for previously, according to Donovan.

Asked if those developments had given the Bulls any more clarity regarding a timeline for Porter's return, Donovan's response held the same touch-and-go theme of Porter injury updates past. Because the injury has limited Porter's mobility, getting his conditioning back up to snuff is the primary concern, and sounds like it will be a process.

"I think the biggest part is conditioning. He’s clearly way behind there. I don’t say that in a way it’s anybody’s fault, but he’s been limited in what he’s been able to do physically," Donovan said. "He hasn’t really been able to do that (run), so the last couple of days he’s been able to do that, he’s been able to get conditioning in. Clearly he’s going to have some soreness going through his workouts and he’s got to build up some stamina and strength and certainly some conditioning over this period of time.

"Having a little less than a week before the All-Star break and then having just a week in that break he’s fully planning on working and getting himself close to ready as possible. I don’t have a date we are targeting to be honest with you, because he hasn’t been able to do too much. It’s just more taking inventory on him each and every day on how he’s feeling and how much more can we push him and how much more can he physically do to get back his conditioning. I don’t know how long that will take. I think we’ll have a lot more clarity of were he is at physically coming out of the (All-Star) break because he will have some real opportunity to get some work in.”

 

That means the Bulls are expecting to be without both Lauri Markkanen (shoulder sprain) and Porter until after the All-Star break, which this season runs from March 5-10.

Though both Porter and Markkanen have excelled individually early this season, it's not as if the Bulls have sputtered without them. In the 12 most recent games Porter has missed, the team is 7-5; without Markkanen for the last 10, they're 7-3, and enter the weekend on a three-game winning streak.

Including Friday's contest, the Bulls have four games left on their first-half schedule against the Suns, Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets and New Orleans Pelicans. By the break, Markkanen will have appeared in 14 games and missed 21, while Porter will have appeared in 16 and missed 19.

That's bad news for two players that have been riddled by injury throughout their Bulls tenures, and are playing under tenuous long-term circumstances. Markkanen is due to enter restricted free agency this offseason after he and the Bulls were unable to agree to an extension last offseason. Porter is currently in the final year of the four-year, max contract the Washington Wizards matched in the summer of 2017, then traded to the Bulls in February 2019.

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