Without trying to push Carlos Boozer too quickly, the Bulls will have him take his first full-contact practice since his hand surgery on Monday, according to K.C. Johnson in the Tribune. How will that affect what the team is doing?
Coach Tom Thibodeau needed one word to answer what kind of adjustments the Bulls would need to make whenever Boozer makes his debut.
“None,” he said.
The article goes on to point out that Taj Gibson will go to the bench when Boozer returns — this should really help out the Bulls’ depth, since Gibson can spell both Boozer and Joakim Noah. The Bulls have gotten off to a 9-6 start and had a winning circus trip at 4-3 for the first time since Michael Jordan was a Bull — all of that without Boozer.
The Tribune article says it’s possible that Boozer will make his season debut against the Magic at the United Center on Wednesday. That seems a bit optimistic, but if he has full range of movement and can handle any contact he gets in practice, it’s possible. If Boozer doesn’t debut on Wednesday, it’s doubtful the Bulls would want him to make his first appearance for them in a road game against the Celtics (Friday) — that might push his first game this year back to Saturday’s home game when the Bulls host the Rockets.