Alex Caruso initially fractured his wrist on Jan. 21 during the third quarter of a game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
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The Chicago Bulls should be getting some much-needed reinforcements soon. Reserve guard Alex Caruso was a full participant in practice on Friday, and the defensive pest said that he’s “close” to a return after being sidelined with a fractured wrist for seven weeks.
“We’re close,” Caruso said. “We haven’t talked about specific target yet. I think we’re just trying to take it day-by-day to make sure it passes each test. Wake up (Saturday), hopefully no soreness that will hold me back and go from there. I think we have to continue to check the boxes, make sure that it’s functional and if I get hit, it’s not going to be bad — if I fall, little things like that. But as far as shooting and passing and dribbling, I’m good with all that stuff.”
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This is incredibly positive news for a Chicago team that has slipped defensively in Caruso’s absence. Since Caruso — and guard Lonzo Ball — have been sidelined, the Bulls have allowed 6.3 more points per game without their two best defenders available. That’s been reflected in the win-loss column, as the Bulls have gone just 12-10 since Caruso has been out, falling to fourth in the Eastern Conference after having the best record in the East prior to both Caruso and Ball’s costly injuries.
Caruso initially fractured his wrist on Jan. 21 during the third quarter of a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. After the Bulls forced a turnover, rookie Ayo Dosunmu found a streaking Caruso who went hard to the basket. As Caruso elevated for the basket at the rim, Bucks guard Grayson Allen came flying in to try and block the shot, but instead grabbed ahold of the Bulls guard and sent him spinning to the ground.
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“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.”
When Caruso returns, which could be as early as Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers as he hasn’t been ruled out for that game yet, some of Chicago’s defensive issues could start to disappear. Earlier in the season, Bulls All-Star Zach LaVine credited both Ball and Caruso for not just playing elite individual defense but elevating the defensive effort of everyone else on the floor. That’s been missing from the Bulls since both guards have been out, as they have allowed easy shots by opponents due to lack of communication and just blown defensive assignments.
