Buzelis Voices Support for Donovan; Central Division Injury and Contract Notes
central-division-buzelis-donovan-giddey-allen-stewart
Chicago forward Matas Buzelis said he hopes head coach Billy Donovan remains with the Bulls next season, pushing back on recent speculation about Donovan’s future. “He’s been a role model to me,” the second-year forward told reporters. “He’s pushed me to my limits, and he’s going to keep pushing me until I can’t be pushed anymore.”
Teammate Josh Giddey urged the Bulls to maintain a team-first approach over the final weeks despite a roster filled with pending free agents. The guard, who signed a four-year, $100 million deal as a restricted free agent last summer, acknowledged it is easy for players in contract years to focus on personal statistics. “It’s important to make everything about the team,” he said, adding that stretches of one-on-one play in Wednesday’s game were “not sustainable.”
In Cleveland, Jarrett Allen returned after a 10-game absence caused by right knee tendinitis and scored eight points in the opening four minutes of Friday’s blowout win over Miami. The former All-Star finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds in 18 minutes while operating under a roughly 20-minute restriction, according to head coach Kenny Atkinson. Max Strus, appearing in his sixth game since offseason foot surgery, led the Cavaliers with a season-high 29 points on 10-of-14 shooting.
The Detroit Pistons announced that reserve big man Isaiah Stewart, sidelined since March 13 with a left calf strain, has been cleared for on-court activities and will ramp up toward a return.
Source: Hoops Rumors
