The Chicago Bulls’ struggling defense — 27th in the NBA over the last 15 games (although it has been better of late) — is about to get a boost.
Alex Caruso is close to a return.
Alex Caruso practiced fully today.
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 11, 2022
When asked about a target return date:
“We’re close.” pic.twitter.com/c2r6ZPSDQ0
Caruso has been out since January when a flagrant foul from Grayson Allen fractured his wrist.
Grayson Allen draws a flagrant 2 for a HARD foul on Alex Caruso pic.twitter.com/NjCJEzo7zu
— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) January 22, 2022
Allen got an underwhelming one-game suspension for that foul.
Bulls fans are still bitter about that, but Caruso said he has moved on. Via K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago:“I’m over it,” Caruso said... “As far as the play and all that I can’t do anything to change it. The only thing I can do is figure out how I’m gonna get better, how I’m gonna get the team better, how we can win games.
“The six weeks was pretty frustrating, just not being out there with the guys and seeing them win a handful of games in a row, lose a handful of games in a row. The emotions of the season go up and down. So for me, it was just about trying to compartmentalize all that, focus on what I can control and kind of just get back to hoops.”
Caruso also said he never heard from Allen after the injury.
The Bulls are also without Lonzo Ball, who coach Billy Donovan said is running and making progress following surgery to repair his left knee meniscus. The return of Ball and Caruso, along with the emergence of rookie Ayo Dosunmu as a defensive stopper, could have the Bulls defending well again for the postseason.