The Bulls need clarity on Josh Giddey before tipoff tonight. After a 6-1 start, Chicago has dropped two straight and now hosts the 7-2 Spurs. The headline question is simple, will Giddey play. The team lists him as questionable after he turned his right ankle on November 8 during the loss to Cleveland, per Pippen Ain’t Easy.
De’Andre Hunter created the moment that took over timelines. He shook Giddey on the left wing, then punched a dunk on Patrick Williams. “I don’t think I ever made nobody fall like that,” Hunter said, per Beacon Journal. Giddey got up, limped to the locker room, then returned a few minutes later, but his movement told the story.
Listed Questionable vs Spurs, Next-Man-Up Plan If He Sits
Giddey gave Chicago 15 points before the injury. After he came back, his shots rimmed out, as he went 0-for-6 and worked to manage his footwork. Billy Donovan leaned on him late because of limited backcourt bodies. Coby White remains out with a calf strain, and Ayo Dosunmu has navigated a minutes restriction while he works back from a quad issue. If Giddey cannot go tonight, expect either Dosunmu or Kevin Huerter to step into the starting group.
Context matters against this opponent. San Antonio sits at 7-2 and arrives with fresh legs. Their top earner, De’Aaron Fox, returned from a hamstring issue over the weekend and dropped 24 points in his season debut. He is off the injury report ahead of this matchup. Rookie guard Dylan Harper will not play, as a calf strain will sideline him for several weeks after a promising start. The Spurs still bring pace, ball pressure, and multiple creators. Chicago needs stability at the point of attack, which makes Giddey’s status the swing factor.
From an availability standpoint, here is what we know right now. The Bulls list Giddey as questionable. The team continues to monitor how his ankle responds to treatment through the afternoon. If he is active, Donovan can stagger him with Dosunmu to manage bursts. If he sits, Chicago likely pushes more on-ball reps to Dosunmu, sprinkles secondary duty to Huerter, and leans on wings to finish possessions.
What Giddey Said After the Ankle Roll
Giddey explained the mechanics of the play and why the ankle turned. “I was kind of on my tippy-toes, so it’s kind of a weak point of your ankle,” he told CBS Sports. “When he made the crossover, I tried to change direction and my ankle just rolled a bit. Not a good highlight reel to be on, but good move by him.” He added that he would start treatment right away. “It feels OK. We’ll get some treatment tonight, tomorrow.”
The Cavaliers targeted him late because his lateral burst dipped. That is typical after an in-game roll, even when a player returns. Donovan Mitchell still marveled at the sequence that sparked it, noting he felt more impressed by the dunk that followed. For Chicago, the takeaway is not the clip, it is whether Giddey can push off cleanly and slide on defense tonight.
Bottom line for Bulls fans, watch the pregame update. If Giddey clears tests and warms up well, he can play through the tweak and steady the offense. If he cannot, Chicago must patch the backcourt and lean on collective creation to keep pace with San Antonio.
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