Bulls' Nic Claxton Upgraded to Doubtful for Monday in Philadelphia After a Full Sunday Practice
The veteran center practiced in full on Sunday for the first time since his October hamstring strain. Doubtful is not available — but for a 1-5 team short on size, it is movement.
Nic Claxton's Bulls debut is not scheduled yet, but it moved a step closer on Sunday. The veteran center was a full participant in practice, head coach Tiago Splitter told reporters, and he was later upgraded to doubtful ahead of Monday's road game in Philadelphia, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic — the first time his status has pointed toward a return since he strained his left hamstring during training camp in early October.
The timeline has tightened quickly. It has been 13 days since Splitter said Claxton would likely miss two more weeks, and Sunday's full practice came ahead of that schedule. Chicago had not released its official injury report for the 6-1 76ers game as of Sunday afternoon, so doubtful is as far as the team is going — but a full practice is the step that has to come before everything else.
The need is not subtle. The Bulls are 1-5, and rebounding — particularly on the defensive end — has been a recurring problem in the rebuilding start, with point guard Josh Giddey adjusting to a scheme that asks him to box out rather than chase the ball the way he has in the past. A healthy Claxton does not fix the whole defense, but he is the kind of size and rim presence the rotation has been missing since camp.
Sunday's practice also carried a message from the roster's youngest voice. Rookie Caleb Wilson, the fourth overall pick, and several teammates were disappointed by Friday's lopsided loss in Boston — the second blowout defeat to the Celtics in five days — and Wilson said after practice that he sees leadership as part of his job even as a rookie. Whether Claxton dresses Monday or not, the Bulls go to Philadelphia needing both things he and Wilson represent: size inside, and a standard that survives a 1-5 start.
