The Chicago Bulls are off to an uninspiring start to this season so far as they are 5-3 but haven't been as good as their overall talent says they could be. Chicago is waiting for some of its star players (Pau Gasol and Derrick Rose) to round into form and start playing better, but the team has also had some trouble at the small forward spot. The good news for the Bulls is that Mike Dunleavy is doing a lot more in practice and may be back in two weeks, according to Vincent Goodwill of CSN Chicago.
Dunleavy underwent back surgery in September and was given an 8-10 week timetable for his return. Dunleavy has been out for seven weeks and seems to be right on track as he has been running and working out for about the past week. The hope is that Dunleavy will be cleared to do some cutting in the next few days so he can progress even further but the Bulls are cautiously optimistic he will be back in three weeks at the latest.
Dunleavy will accompany the team on the Bulls' eight-day, four-game West Coast road trip so they can monitor him as he nears a return. Head coach Fred Hoiberg doesn't plan to rush Dunleavy back but he hopes that his workload will increase on the trip.
"On our off-days out there hopefully he'll be able to really increase his activity. So yeah, still too soon to say because of all the work he's about to begin, and we'll see how he handles that," said Hoiberg.
While Dunleavy has been out, the Bulls have tried a couple of different options at the small forward spot. Tony Snell has started five games and Doug McDermott has started three. Snell hasn't gotten off to a good start, as his PER is just a 9.5, and while McDermott is third in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage (58 percent) his defense has left a lot to be desired.
Dunleavy is known for his sweet jump shot, as he is a career 38 percent shooter from beyond the arc including 41 percent last season, but where the Bulls likely miss him most is on the defensive end. Dunleavy won't wow you with his athleticism and he isn't the greatest defender in the league, but his defensive awareness is key for the Bulls and he is a very good team defender. Snell and McDermott have both shot the ball very well so far, but the 35-year-old Dunleavy brings more to the table at this point, so when he is able to come back it will be a nice boost for Chicago.
