Chicago Bulls Injury Report: Why No Coby White vs. Rockets? Updates on Giddey & Collins

The Chicago Bulls will begin the latest back-to-back set without their leading scorer.

After his recent calf injury scare, the Bulls have gone back to operating out of an abundance of caution with Coby White. The guard started the year sitting out back-to-back games, and he will seemingly do this again for the foreseeable future. The Bulls have ruled him out of tonight's meeting against the Houston Rockets, paving the way for him to take the floor at home on Wednesday against the Utah Jazz.

For what it's worth, White's first game of the year came against Utah on November 16. While Chicago eventually lost that battle in double-OT, White put on a show with 27 points on a perfect 14-14 from the free throw line. Considering that prior production, as well as Houston's elite size and physicality, it's less surprising the Bulls have chosen tonight's matchup as White's rest day.

Joining White on the injury report is the usual cast of characters. Josh Giddey remains out with a hamstring strain, while Zach Collins continues to deal with a toe injury.

The Athletic's Joel Lorenzi provided some not-so-encouraging updates on both over this past week. While Giddey has done some on-court work, there remains no set timetable for his return. As for Collins, his toe sprain has been deemed "significant," and he continues to seek different opinions on how to handle it.

Zach Collins of the Chicago Bulls — Dec 19, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago Bulls forward-center Zach Collins (12) keeps the ball away from Cleveland Cavaliers forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin (35) during the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

To be frank, one has to wonder how eager the Bulls are to get either back on the floor. With rumors continuing to swirl, there remains a real possibility that the front office is gearing up for a trade deadline sell-off. In other words, wins could soon be put on the back burner.

Julian Phillips represents the newest name on the injury report. The forward is reportedly dealing with a wrist sprain and is considered "questionable." He has remained outside of the rotation for much of the year, but missing him tonight could prove problematic. The Bulls will need as much size and length as they can get against this jumbo Rockets lineup.

Speaking of which, the Bulls will at least dodge two of the Rockets' more intimidating athletes. Tari Eason is out with an ankle sprain, while Dorian Finney-Smith is sidelined for injury management purposes.

Chicago Bulls Injury Report

Julian Phillips – QUESTIONABLE (wrist)
Josh Giddey – OUT (hamstring)
Zach Collins – OUT (toe)
Coby White – OUT (injury management)

Houston Rockets Injury Report

Tari Eason – OUT (ankle)
Dorian Finney-Smith – OUT (injury management)