Billy Donovan was just getting comfortable with his rotation.
Thursday, however, was a stark reminder for the Bulls coach that this season takes comfortable, crumbles it up, and throws it out the window.
Hours before the Bulls tipped off against the Wizards, the coach came out in his pre-game Zoom media session with an opening statement concerning the latest group of his players affected by the NBA’s coronavirus protocol.
This was no small group either.
Missing the game was Lauri Markkanen, Tomas Satoransky, Ryan Arcidiacono and Chandler Hutchison. Markkanen, who was also dealing with a calf contusion, was the only starter and was a question mark to play anyway, but Hutchison and Satoransky had been key members of the second unit, while Arcidiacono was a second point guard – Satoransky the other – sidelined.
“We’ve said this all along and I think the league has said this, we want to keep everybody as safe and as healthy as we possibly can,’’ Donovan said. “I think we’re trying to take the necessary precautions to do things that enforce the guidelines that have been asked of us to follow. But you’ve got situations where the NBA, you know, makes decisions and has to look at the safety of the players, and the teams, and the organizations, and I understand that, so the only thing I can really comment on is these are decisions that are being made at the NBA level.
“The only thing I can comment on are these are kind of the health and safety protocols that the league has put in place that they’re following, so that’s all I can get into and say about because I think the league wants it that way because of the laws, privacy, those types of things. But that’s where it’s at and that’s what is going on.’’
Don’t expect much more information than that in the next few days, either.
The league has handcuffed teams into being very vague concerning the details that put players in the protocol. The four players could have all tested negative, but through contact tracing need to pass consecutive tests, or they could all be positive and instantly put in quarantine. Only the individual players are allowed to make their details public.
Veteran love
As Garrett Temple’s minutes have gone up in the wake of the positive coronavirus test that sidelined him for weeks, the Bulls have played better. Coincidence? Not according to Otto Porter Jr., who played with Temple in their Washington days.
“He has just been here for a long time,’’ Porter said of the combo guard. “He knows how to play the game the way it’s supposed to be played. He brings energy, especially on both sides of the ball, especially defensively. Veteran guy. He’s very vocal, talking to the younger point guards and just talking to the team about what he sees out there and just being a leader.’’
Shout out
Becky Hammon is now the first woman to become the acting head coach of an NBA team, taking over for the Spurs in their loss to the Lakers on Wednesday, and Donovan had nothing but praise for her.
“Great person, obviously a terrific coach and you know it was great to see her get that opportunity,’’ Donovan said. “And I know that probably, whenever it is, there’s only 30 NBA jobs, it’s hard to be a head coach in this league. I understand that and respect that. But certainly she’s gonna be someone that is always going to be considered for a head coaching position.’’
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January 01, 2021 at 04:43AM
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Lauri Markkanen one of four Bulls players in the NBA’s COVID-19 protocol - Chicago Sun-Times
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