DeMar DeRozan hints Zach LaVine returns Monday for Chicago Bulls

This season has been an eventful one for the Chicago Bulls. Nothing has come without adversity, as the Bulls have maybe had it the worst on the injury front within the Eastern Conference.

Still, Chicago has managed to stay in first place for a large part of the season. Currently sitting in third place and losers of seven out of their last 10 games, the Bulls are in need of some help along the injury front.

Much of the season has been played at half strength, it feels. Over the last 10 days, the Chicago Bulls have played without Zach LaVine due to a knee injury suffered early on in the game against Golden State.

In what could have been a much more serious injury, it appears as though LaVine’s time on the shelf is nearing its end. After the Bulls lost a gross one to the Orlando Magic Sunday night, DeMar DeRozan hinted that the team will get LaVine back Monday night when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Chicago Bulls will be getting Zach LaVine back from injury at just the right time.

The Bulls have fallen from first to third in the East over the past couple of days, but have also been playing extremely short-handed. Javonte Green could also make his return Monday night, as he’s traveling with the team to Oklahoma City.

Green has not played since New Year’s Eve due to a groin strain. After the Bulls lost Patrick Williams early in the season, it was mostly Green who had stepped up in Williams’ place. But, after Green went down, it was on the shoulders of Derrick Jones Jr. — also currently injured.

The Bulls have been without many of their key players, including point guard Lonzo Ball and wing Alex Caruso — who is now out for another extended period of time thanks to Grayson Allen’s dirty foul. But, getting LaVine and Green back would be an enormous lift for the Bulls. That’s two starters back in the fold for Chicago.

It has been on the shoulders of DeRozan, Coby White, Nikola Vucevic and rookie Ayo Dosunmu to provide the spark. Clearly, these guys are worn out. Hopefully DeRozan is right, though, and help is on the way for Monday night.

The Bulls’ next seven games are against teams who are either at or below .500, so they could absolutely take advantage and find themselves back in the driver’s seat in the Eastern Conference. As long as DeRozan and LaVine stay healthy, this team will have a chance to beat anybody.