Luol Deng to be used cautiously by Chicago Bulls - NBA Update
Chicago Bulls small forward Luol Deng, who missed seven straight games this season due to a ruptured ligament in his wrist, isn’t going to be thrown into the thick end too often from now on.
He featured in the Bulls scrimmage against the Milwaukee Bucks on February the 4th and importantly spent around 41 minutes on the court. However critics have questioned the wisdom of continuing to put Luol’s body to the test, especially given his importance to the side and recent injury.
Although Deng is fully fit now but he has recently recovered from an injury that could be aggravated if not taken seriously. Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau has thus decided to assess Deng on day-to-day basis.
Tom is hopeful that Luol will recover soon without even requiring a surgery. He has also declared that the forward will only given time on the floor that he is comfortable with and the burden upon him could be lessened in the coming games.
"Lu will get the minutes that he can handle," Thibodeau said. "I don't know if they will be the same. They may be less. They may be the same. Until he's out there, we won't know. He's always in great shape. But a game is different because of the physical contact. And then the compilation of games too. Can he handle four (games) in five (nights) We're hopeful he doesn't need surgery. There have been a number of studies done, and there are many players who have never had surgery and it has healed itself. That's what we're hopeful for”
26 years old Deng is an important component of Bulls offense and defence. He has already played an important part in many of the Bulls wins this season, by producing 20 plus tallies in more than eight games.
He injured his wrist in Chicago’s win against Charlotte Bobcats on 21st January, in which he also recorded his season high 22 points. After that, he went out to miss as much as seven games in which Bulls managed to win only four.
Deng took no time to adjust and immediately made an impact in his comeback against Bucks by tallying 21 points and 9 boards, to guide Bulls to a convincing 113-90 win.
He needs to be treated with caution by Tom now because his absence can make a major difference in Bulls progress, especially when the playoffs arrive.
Although the Bulls rely massively on their star Derrick Rose to guide them to wins, but it is the presence of players like Deng in the team that allows Rose to play his natural game. Since Deng is also an important part of Bulls defence, it makes him even more valuable to Chicago.
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