Three Bulls Cleared as the Trip Rolls to Milwaukee

Three names come off the list. Jalen Smith, Tre Jones and Matas Buzelis were all cleared off the injury list on Oct. 12, the day the Nuggets erased a 15-point Bulls lead and won 128-133. Buzelis and Smith had already played through it in Denver — 13 points and 11, respectively — proof the bumps were not keeping anyone off the floor.

Milwaukee, then home. Chicago plays at Milwaukee on Oct. 14, then returns to the United Center on Oct. 16 for Minnesota — the last two tune-ups before Oct. 21, when the record starts counting in Toronto.

Miller's leash keeps growing. Leonard Miller scored 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting in Denver, his best outing of the preseason. Over his last 10 games last season he averaged 28.8 minutes a night, 13.1 more than his season mark — a jump that started before this camp and looks to be continuing into it.

Claxton's target matches the opener. Nic Claxton has been sidelined with a hamstring issue since Oct. 5; his estimated return is Oct. 21, the same night Chicago opens the regular season at Toronto. If that holds, the opener doubles as his first game in a Bulls uniform.

Preseason sits at 1-2. Chicago beat Phoenix 124-117 on Oct. 7, lost to Memphis 100-104 on Oct. 9, then lost to Denver 128-133 on Oct. 11. None of it touches the record, which opens at 0-0 regardless of how these three games went.

What holds once games count. Smith, Jones and Buzelis are clear, Claxton is aimed at Oct. 21, and the roster has already turned over four times since September camp. The real test starts the moment Toronto counts — not Denver, not Milwaukee.