Luol Deng Won’t Play in Game 1 vs Miami Heat


The Chicago Bulls have ruled out forward Luol Deng for their series opener in Miami tonight, who has been in and out of the hospital after experiencing complications stemming from a spinal tap that was done to check for viral meningitis. The Bulls also listed Kirk Hinrich as doubtful. Per the Chicago Tribune: “We’re taking it day-by-day,’ head coach Tom Thibodeau said. That puts Deng’s availability for Wednesday’s Game 2 in serious jeopardy as well. And even though Derrick Rose still won’t say publicly that he’s out for the season, that’s the assumption under which the organization long has operated. ‘It’s no pressure at all,’ Rose said. ‘I haven’t had any pressure from anyone. Not in the organization, not from my teammates. They know I’m putting everything I have on trying to come back as fast as possible. Just trying to be smart with the whole situation. Just taking my time.’ Hinrich didn’t take the floor for the start of the Bulls’ morning shootaround, receiving treatment on his severely bruised left calf in the training room. He tested the injury before Saturday’s Game 7 victory over the Nets and didn’t move well at all. ‘It’s slow, steady progress,’ Thibodeau said. ‘But he’s still not there.’ Deng is out of the hospital. Without him, the Bulls likely will put Jimmy Butler on LeBron James. That means Marco Belinelli likely will guard Dwyane Wade.”