Streaking Chicago Bulls Now Dealing With COVID-19 Outbreak

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls have found a way to roll with the punches early this season while compiling one of the Eastern Conference’s best records.

Now, it appears an outbreak of players landing on the COVID-19 protocol list will be the next hurdle the Bulls must clear. The Bulls announced Wednesday that they have placed reserve guard Matt Thomas on the protocol list after he traveled with the team for Wednesday night’s game against the Cavaliers.

Thomas is the fourth player in the past eight days to be placed on the protocol list, joining DeMar DeRozan, Devonte Green and Coby White, all of whom have tested positive for COVID-19 since Dec. 1.

Bulls executives have reported that the team is 100 percent vaccinated, which means that anyone on the protocol list needs to produce back-to-back negative tests in a 48-hour period. DeRozan, the Bulls’ leading scorer, tested positive this week before the Bulls' win over the Denver Nuggets and will not be cleared to play this weekend when the Bulls face the Heat on Saturday.

The Bulls are also playing without Alex Caruso, who is out with a hamstring injury, which has forced coach Billy Donovan to move farther down his bench. On Monday, Chicago native and former University of Illinois star Ayo Dosunmu made his first career NBA star and logged 41 minutes and scored 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting in the win over the Nuggets.

Still, the Bulls had produced three straight victories since Dec. 1, with wins over the Knicks, Nets and Nuggets before losing Wednesday's 115-92 loss to the Cavaliers. Before the loss, the Bulls are just a half-game behind the Nets for the Eastern Conference’s best record and are now 17-9 heading into Saturday's game in Miami.

Sill, the Bulls are well aware of the challenge they face moving forward.

"I don't walk into the game like 'Woe is us'," guard Zach LaVine said after Wednesday's loss. "But you understand it's going to be obviously harder than it would be with everyone (there).

"It's going to be tough, obviously, but I think we can fight through it."

Donovan had just 11 players available to him on Wednesday night. But that will change this weekend, when the Bulls will add Stanley Johnson to the roster after the Bulls were granted a hardship waiver by the league, NBC Sports Chicago reported.

Johnson was among the final Bulls’ roster cuts and has spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers’ G League affiliate, where he has averaged 15.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.2 steals in six games.

NBC Sports Chicago reported that because of the outbreak, the Bulls are limited in how much they can practice and hold shootarounds. The team is also encouraged to wear masks during team activities.