Okoro's Knee and Kawhi: Splitter's First Real Game Starts in Toronto

0:04The host: Every Bulls fan woke up with the same question: who is actually suiting up in Toronto tonight? The answer, two hours out: no Claxton, no Hawkins, no Swain. And four more guys walk into warmups as game-time calls.

0:18The analyst: Leonard Miller with the right groin, Isaac Okoro and Tobe Awaka with knees, Zach Collins with the right toe. All four list an expected return of today. A listing isn't a lineup.

0:33The host: The Hawkins part stings because of how it went. Yesterday he lands on the report as out with an illness. Later that same day he's upgraded. Two-way guy, signed October 6, 14 points against Minnesota on October 16, lined up for opening night. Then this morning it's out again. Swain went through the exact same thing.

0:52The analyst: Both are now pegged for October 24. So the illness didn't clear overnight. That costs you two bodies at the end of the bench, not a starter. The name on that list that changes tonight is Okoro.

1:06The host: Because of who's across the floor.

1:08The analyst: Kawhi Leonard, 27.9 points a game last season over 65 appearances. Scottie Barnes at 18.1, RJ Barrett at 19.3. Okoro is the one wing on this roster built to guard that.

1:23The host: And he's been carrying that knee since October 13. Eight days, never cleared.

1:28The analyst: If he sits, Leonard gets Patrick Williams or Matas Buzelis. Buzelis is your second scorer, 16.3 points a game last season. You don't want him burning his legs chasing Kawhi.

1:42The host: I see it differently. Tempo decides this one. It's Splitter's first real game, Giddey put up 9.1 assists a night last season, these guys want to run. Toronto doesn't.

1:54The analyst: Half right. Bulls pace last season was 103.2, Raptors 99.2. That's four extra possessions a night. But Toronto went 46-36 with a plus 2.9 net rating. Chicago went 31-51 at minus 5.3. More possessions for the worse team usually means a bigger loss.

2:18The host: Different coach, different roster. That minus 5.3 came under Billy Donovan, with Vučević and Coby White here until the deadline.

2:26The analyst: Fair. And on a 0-0 team, last season's net rating proves nothing about tonight. It's just the only full sample we have.

2:36The host: Last time out we said watch who's in uniform at center. That one's settled. The October 19 report said Claxton misses two more weeks, and the injury list now has him back November 4.

2:47The analyst: So the opener runs through Jalen Smith, plus Collins if the toe cooperates. Smith gave you 10.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 37.3% from three last season. He can pull Jakob Poeltl, 7.0 rebounds a game, out of the paint. Toronto's thin up front too: Nate Bittle is out with the right foot.

3:10The host: And the preseason gives me hope. 3-2. A 128-133 loss at Denver, then 125-104 at Milwaukee and 133-116 over Minnesota.

3:21The analyst: Exhibitions. And four guys from that preseason roster, Jalen Bridges, Brandon Boston, Drew Peterson and Orlando Robinson, were gone by October 18.

3:35The host: Okay. Give me the number.

3:37The analyst: 28.8. That's Leonard Miller's minutes a night over his last 10 games, 13.1 above his season average. We used it two weeks ago. What's new is the right groin that showed up on the report yesterday.

3:55The host: And he's the guy who dropped 26 in Denver.

3:57The analyst: He is. But 10 games is a hot streak, not a role. It doesn't prove Splitter trusts him over Williams. And a groin strain on a guy playing that much is exactly how hot streaks end.

4:11The host: Tip-off is two hours from now in Toronto. Our listings don't carry a TV channel for this one, so check your local Bulls broadcast. Both teams come in on 4 days of rest. Then it's at Milwaukee October 23 and home to Washington October 24.

4:26The analyst: That's a back-to-back, and it's why the October 24 date for Hawkins and Swain matters. The bench gets its bodies back for the second night, not for tonight.

4:38The host: Watch Okoro in warmups: if that knee lets him take Leonard, Splitter's first game is a real fight. The injury updates and the final will be in the Bulls section on Hoops Nightly.

4:48The analyst: Verdict: a 31-51 team without Claxton, maybe without Okoro, on the road against Kawhi, loses this one.

4:58The host: And a 0-0 team with Giddey, Buzelis and four days of fresh legs doesn't care what last season said.