Jokic and a Short-Handed Front Line Await the Bulls in Denver

0:04The host: Jokić just set up camp in the paint, and the Bulls still don't know who's guarding him there tonight.

0:09The analyst: Claxton's out until the opener in Toronto. Hamstring, two weeks, diagnosed October 5th.

0:16The host: So it's Collins or Smith at the five in Denver.

0:19The analyst: Maybe. Both of them are also day-to-day. Toe for Collins, left foot for Smith.

0:26The host: Both listed with an estimated return of today.

0:29The analyst: Estimated. That's not the same as cleared.

0:32The host: And it's not just the bigs. Buzelis, right ankle. Tre Jones, left hip. Sellers, his back.

0:39The analyst: All four, same return date: today. Tonight tells us who actually trusts that tag.

0:45The host: If they're all out there in Denver, I'm not reading much into a sprained ankle from four days ago.

0:50The analyst: If three of them sit instead, that's the story of the night, not Jokić.

0:56The host: Speaking of Jokić — 27.7 points, 12.9 boards, 10.7 assists a game last season. Murray at 25.4.

1:05The analyst: Denver won 54 games last season with that pairing. Net rating plus 5.2, pace 99.5.

1:14The host: Giddey's the one running the Bulls against both of them — 17 points, 8.3 boards, 9.1 assists a game last season.

1:21The analyst: Murray added 7.1 assists a game of his own last season. Giddey's seeing two real playmakers tonight, not one.

1:30The host: DeRozan's in that top group too now, 18.4 a game. Cameron Johnson and Aaron Gordon mostly off the bench.

1:36The analyst: And Denver's 0-0 same as Chicago, but they're rested. Four days off. The Bulls have one.

1:44The host: One day, and this is their second straight road game.

1:48The analyst: Two games in the Bulls' last seven days. Denver's played one. That shows up in legs, not just the score.

1:57The host: Only injury on Denver's side is Spencer Jones, hamstring, day-to-day. Barely moves this matchup.

2:02The host: Two nights ago we said Sellers, Jones and Collins were all targeted to return against Memphis.

2:07The analyst: They lost that one, 100-104. Caleb Wilson led them with 21, Powell had 17.

2:14The host: So that targeted-return question is closed. Now Denver's asking the same one.

2:19The analyst: Different opponent, same question — who's actually healthy enough to play real preseason minutes.

2:25The analyst: Here's the number I'd watch: Patrick Williams' minutes jumped by 14 a night last season whenever a teammate was out.

2:34The host: Fourteen on top of what?

2:36The analyst: His mark last season was 20.5. Over his last three games with somebody sidelined, he averaged 34.

2:44The host: With Claxton gone and four more questionable, that number basically writes itself tonight.

2:49The analyst: It writes itself if those four sit. If they're cleared, Williams' minutes look normal and the number means nothing.

2:58The host: Fair. Small sample, one specific scenario from last season. Doesn't prove he's a 34-minute player.

3:03The analyst: Exactly. Three games. That's the whole caveat.

3:07The host: While we're on numbers — this roster's got real room to add somebody, right? They're way under the cap.

3:13The analyst: Not really. Payroll's $164.3M. The cap line is $165.0M. That's minimum-deal room, not difference-maker room.

3:26The host: I thought the tax line gave them more runway than that.

3:30The analyst: The tax is $200.4M — that's the ceiling before penalties, not room to sign someone now. They're near capped out.

3:39The host: Okay. Smaller gap than I had it in my head.

3:42The host: Before Denver, they split the week. Beat the Suns 124-117 on the 7th, Smith with 9, Powell with 8.

3:50The analyst: Then lost to Memphis 100-104 two nights later. Powell's the common thread — 8 points, then 17.

3:58The host: He's the one guy who hasn't missed a beat through all this roster churn.

4:02The analyst: At 33, making $21.5M this season, he better be dependable.

4:10The host: And this roster's still not finished turning over. Hawkins signed a two-way on October 5th, Stevens was let go the same day.

4:18The analyst: Dillingham's gone too now, flipped to Charlotte for Hield in the offseason. Different roster than the one that opened camp in September.

4:27The host: Tip-off is in Denver, on ESPN, two hours from now.

4:31The analyst: No insider news broke today worth repeating. That Central Notes piece on the Bulls' injuries was yesterday's story.

4:39The host: So watch the same thing we've been watching: who's actually in uniform at center.

4:44The analyst: And whether Williams' minutes climb back toward that 34 number, or whether this was a one-week blip.

4:51The host: Watch Williams' minutes tonight against Denver's size. That's the one number that tells you if camp actually changed anything.

4:58The analyst: Catch the final, then find us in the Bulls section on Hoops Nightly before Milwaukee.