The Chicago Bulls and the Houston Rockets try to make the best of thin rosters tonight in Houston. Tip is set for 8:00 p.m. ET at Toyota Center. Chicago (18-20, 10th in the East) arrives on the first night of a back-to-back. Houston (22-14, 7th in the West) is trying to stop a three-game slide. Both sides will be without key guards and wings, which should reshape how this game looks from the opening possession.

Final injury picture: who’s in, who’s out

Chicago’s backcourt is the headline. Josh Giddey and Coby White, the team’s primary ball-handlers, are both ruled out. Giddey has been sidelined since a left hamstring strain on Dec. 29 and will miss his seventh straight game. There is good news, though: he’s back on the floor for non-contact work.

“Giddey has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring strain on December 29 and will miss his seventh straight game, though there is some optimism. He has returned to the court and is participating in the non-contact portions of Bulls practices.”

White also suffered his injury on Dec. 29. He returned for two appearances but the calf has lingered, and Chicago is being careful with a back-to-back in play.

“White suffered his injury on the same day as Giddey but has played in two games since. However, Chicago has been ultra-cautious with White, whose calf issues have persisted longer than expected. With the Bulls playing the first night of a back-to-back, White is expected to suit up tomorrow against the Utah Jazz instead.”

Beyond the guards, Chicago lists Zach Collins (right first toe sprain), Noa Essengue (season-ending shoulder surgery), and Emanuel Miller (hamstring) as out. Wing Julian Phillips is on the report as left wrist sprain and is deemed questionable by some listings, probable by others. Yuki Kawamura is on a league assignment; some reports have also noted a lower leg tag as game-time decision.

“If Durant gets rolling, can the Bulls keep up without their guards?”

Houston’s list is headlined by Fred VanVleet, who remains out after right knee ACL repair. Tari Eason (right ankle) is set to miss a second straight game as the team manages the sprain. Veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith is also out for left ankle injury management. Two-way rookie Isaiah Crawford has been with the G League, and one report placed him as questionable due to illness. Big man Alperen Sengun had missed three games with an ankle sprain but returned against Sacramento; some early-week listings had him out until late January, but his return against the Kings settles that discrepancy for now.

How these absences shape the game

No Giddey and no White means Chicago will need to manufacture offense without its main creators. Giddey was averaging 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists per game before the strain—nearly a triple-double engine. White’s 18.6 points per game have been a steady source of rim pressure and spacing. That shifts more responsibility to the frontcourt and secondary handlers.

Expect Nikola Vucevic to be a hub. He’s averaging 16.0 points, 9.0 rebounds on 50.2% shooting and can score on post touches or pick-and-pop. More elbow touches for him could slow the game and keep turnovers low. Wings will have to help. If Julian Phillips is cleared, his defense and slashing matter. Role players will need to hit open threes created by Vucevic’s gravity.

For Houston, the guard spot is also thinned without VanVleet. The difference is the Rockets still have star firepower. Kevin Durant is averaging 27.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. He tilts matchups and forces doubles. Amen Thompson brings pace at 19.7 points and 8.4 boards a night, while Jabari Smith Jr. adds 15 and 7 with length on defense. If Alperen Sengun is fully back in rhythm, even at 13.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, he gives Houston a high-post passer and interior scoring option that can stress Chicago’s coverages.

“This is a night for Vucevic to punish the glass.”

Form guide and schedule factors

Chicago snapped a two-game skid with a clean 125-107 home win over Dallas, a needed response after a 15-point loss to Detroit. That performance showed what the Bulls can do when the ball moves and the defense sits down. Tonight, the question is whether that same energy travels without the starting backcourt.

Houston has dropped three straight, all on the road, against Sacramento and Portland. Getting back home should help. If Sengun builds on his return and Durant sets the tone early, the Rockets can steady the ship. Still, missing Eason and Finney-Smith removes two of their better wing defenders and cutters—the kind of players who clean up broken plays and swing margins.

“Amen’s pace could swing it if Chicago’s guards can’t control tempo.”

Matchups to watch

• Kevin Durant vs. Bulls’ length: Chicago will likely throw multiple bodies at Durant. The goal: make him pass early and live with contested jumpers. If he gets to his spots, it could be a long night.
• Vucevic vs. Sengun: Two smart bigs who can pass and score. Second-chance points will matter, and the winner on the glass can control pace.
• Turnover battle: Without Giddey/White, Chicago must value the ball. Amen Thompson thrives in the open floor. Live-ball turnovers equal Rockets runs.
• Wing shooting: With Eason and Finney-Smith out, Houston needs Smith Jr. and the role players to hit catch-and-shoot looks. Chicago’s role guys must answer.

The numbers behind the names

Chicago’s offense bends around Vucevic’s efficiency and the shot creation that White and Giddey usually supply. Giddey’s near triple-double line shows how much he touches the game. Without him, secondary playmaking becomes by-committee. The Bulls will likely lean on disciplined half-court sets and hope to keep this in the 90s or low 100s to reduce variance.

Houston’s scoring core is clear. Durant at 27.2 per game is elite. Thompson’s 19.7 and 8.4 bring force on drives and on the glass. Smith Jr. chips 15 and 7, and Sengun’s craft adds balance. Even with Eason’s 12 and 6 off the table, the Rockets have enough shot creation to push runs—if they defend without fouling and finish possessions.

Context and clarity on conflicting notes

There have been minor discrepancies across listings. Sengun was at one point expected out until late January but returned versus the Kings. Eason has been labeled day-to-day, though the latest notes have him out for a second game with the ankle. For Chicago, some reports list Julian Phillips as questionable and others as probable. On two-way guard Isaiah Crawford, one outlet flagged an illness tag while he’s been with the G League. The key: monitor the league’s updated reports near tip for any late shifts, but the broad picture is unchanged—both teams are shorthanded on the perimeter.

Outlook

This is the first meeting of the 2025-26 season between these clubs, and it might come down to who wins the math: turnovers and threes. Chicago’s best path is a slower game built around Vucevic, strong defensive rebounding, and mistake-free passing. Houston’s edge is star power with Durant and pace with Amen, backed by Smith Jr.’s two-way play and Sengun’s craft.

The Bulls have the added wrinkle of a back-to-back, with White expected to return Wednesday in Utah. That makes tonight’s task tougher. The Rockets badly need a stabilizing home win, and the injuries suggest a clear plan: put the ball in Durant’s hands early, run off misses, and make Chicago’s backup ball-handlers feel the pressure. If the Bulls withstand the opening punch and keep the turnover count low, this can still be a one- or two-possession game late.

In short: expect a chess match of adjustments, with both coaches patching lineups and looking for that one run to break it open.