The Bulls will be close to 100% healthy when they open the season Wednesday at the Raptors. Only center Nic Claxton, who’s nursing a hamstring injury, won’t be ready. But coach Tiago Splitter said the seven-year veteran is ramping up basketball activities.
“Every day he does something else and more aggressive,” Splitter said Friday before the Bulls’ preseason finale against the Timberwolves. “But — I’m not going to stop repeating this — this is a very dangerous injury. The chances of redoing it are big. So we’ve got to be careful.”
Claxton suffered the injury during a training-camp practice early this month. He and center Zach Collins (quad) were seen working out during the morning shootaround at the Advocate Center, Claxton jogging lightly and Collins jumping rope.
“[Collins is] supposed to be 100%,” Splitter said. “He’s supposed to be in all the practices that we have left. Full contact, everything.”
Forward Tobe Awaka and guard Isaac Okoro have been out with knee injuries. They joined Collins and Claxton on the sideline Friday.
Splitter went into the game looking for improvement in several areas.
“I can give you a list,” he said. “We got to rebound better; we got to take care of the ball; we got to crash more on offense; the ball cannot stick, we got to move the ball side to side. Those are the most important things right now.”
When Splitter has everyone available, he expects to have a nine-to-10-man rotation most of the time because he wants the Bulls to run.
He isn’t yet the “Czar of the Telestrator,” the nickname of former NBA coach and TV analyst Mike Fratello, but Bulls guard Josh Giddey is breaking down game video of himself on his YouTube channel, @OfficialJoshGiddey. He has four videos up and many more to come. Giddey plans to post one every Sunday night.
“I saw Tom Brady do it on a football game from a quarterback’s perspective,” Giddey said. “I love watching football and the NFL, and I never really understood it on that deep a level. It was really cool to see, and I thought that’s something I could do for basketball.”
Giddey is a video junkie. Since he’s watching anyway, he figured why not teach fans how he sees the game as a point guard. He takes videos of himself, then sends them to editors who combine his video with the game video and add graphic elements. Giddey’s first video, which posted Sept. 20, was about his game-winning halfcourt shot to beat the Lakers last season.
“I’ve always loved when top-tier athletes, whatever sport they’re in, have broken it down on a pretty deep level,” said Giddey, who has more than 20,000 subscribers. “It gives fans a better understanding of the game.”
Forward Leonard Miller entered Friday leading the Bulls in preseason scoring with 17.5 points per game. Splitter has been impressed, but he said Miller has more to prove.
“He’s a mismatch for slower fives,” Splitter said. “We can use him in that position; we can use him at the four position. He’s playing well so far.
“It’s still only the preseason. Wednesday, when the lights are on, it’s going to be a different game. You’ve got to also think about that.”
The Bulls’ game next Friday at the Bucks was moved to 3 p.m. from 7 because it would’ve conflicted with Game 1 of the World Series, which will be in Milwaukee.
