The plan for Wendell Carter Jr. coming out of the Indiana win was simple: Ease the third-year big man back into it.
Because of an unforgiving February schedule, Bulls coach Billy Donovan didn’t see any other way. Carter was sidelined 11 games with a right quadriceps contusion before getting 21 minutes of work in his return against the Pacers, but was noticeably out of rhythm on the offensive end.
Defensively? Carter’s “just hit him first’’ mentality against All-Star Domantas Sabonis was just what his team needed.
However, Carter has an important role on the offensive end in Donovan’s system with a skillset that involves the third-year center being a key screener, as well as a facilitator out of the pocket.
A skillset that built up some rust, and with games every other day, as well as two back-to-backs mixed in there the next few weeks, a skillset that wasn’t going to be able to get much practice time.
Then Tuesday happened.
The NBA announced the Wednesday game in Charlotte was postponed due to too many Hornets players in the health and safety protocol because of contact tracing, which would cost Charlotte the next two games. It was also announced that San Antonio’s next three games were postponed, but that had no effect on the Bulls.
Rather than fly to Charlotte after the Indiana win, the team stayed in Indianapolis Monday night because of the snow, flew home Tuesday afternoon, and could now get some much-needed practice time for players like Carter on Wednesday and Thursday, while veterans like Thad Young and Garrett Temple get some rest.
How that could change the minutes plans for Carter come Friday in Philadelphia remains to be seen, but for a young core that needs the work, postponements aren’t necessarily bad.
It was the third game the 11-15 Bulls have had postponed this season, as the NBA has left the second half of the schedule open and obviously subject to change.
While the league hasn’t announced how it will handle the final standings when the regular season does come to an end, there has been growing momentum for weeks by the players that it will have to be based on winning percentage, with it starting to look like it would be impossible to make up 29 games and counting in the final few months.
What it meant for the Bulls short term? Just what Carter needed.
“I knew I was going to get winded pretty early, but that’s a part of coming back, just getting to that game shape,’’ Carter said of his return. “My body was hurting a little bit. I was kind of tired and [Donovan] understood that. So for next game, it may go up one or two minutes. And then next game, one or two minutes. So it’s just based off how I feel and how fast I can get back in shape.’’
And while Carter and many of the younger players need the practice work, Young and Temple could use a few days with their feet up, cool drink in hand.
Donovan has been trying to specifically cut back on Young’s minutes to keep him healthy for a late-season push, but the veteran forward has been so productive, especially with the Bulls short-handed in the frontcourt, that it’s been hard to get him out.
The goal was to keep Young near that 24-minute mark. He’s gone 30 minutes or higher three times in February, however, and was averaging 28.1 minutes per game for the month. As for Temple, he played 39 minutes in the Pacers win.
“It’s probably too much for [Young] and Garrett, but they’re competitors,’’ Donovan said. “They’re in that situation. They’re not going to want to come out of the game like that.’’
