Hamilton trying to get range of motion back
No one is clear on how long Richard Hamilton will be out with his latest injury, a right shoulder contusion and sprain. He made the trip to Milwaukee and talked about his status at the morning shootaround.
“Man, I’m just trying to lift my arm up. It’s going to be ... I know ain’t no miracle going to happen or anything like that,” he said. “It’s just one of them things, I’m trying to get the swelling out. Just trying to get my range of motion back, so it’s going to be a minute.”
This injury happened in the opening minute of Monday’s win over Indiana during a collision with Pacers center Roy Hibbert. It was Hamilton’s fifth game back following a long layoff for groin and thigh injuries.
“It’s sore. It still hurts,” Hamilton said of the shoulder. “When I first did it I felt a pop. But when I ran down court, I could still move my hands and stuff like that, so I knew that one, it wasn’t broke and stuff like that. But it was in a lot of pain.”
Hamilton, 34, has played in just 16 of 41 games this season.
“It’s just tough for me because I’ve never been like this my whole career,” he said. “Especially one minute, 20 seconds into the game; all these little freak things. It’s crazy to me.”
Brewer shoots better:
Ronnie Brewer, who returned to the starting lineup with Richard Hamilton’s latest injury, has been shooting the ball well lately.
Brewer started the season shooting well, then slumped for a few weeks. During the seven-game win streak, Brewer has averaged 10.4 points and shot 54.1 percent from the field.
“The last couple games, my teammates have been finding me and I’ve been shooting the ball with confidence,” Brewer said. “I think it’s been finding me in good spots where I can shoot the ball with confidence. Other than that, I’ve stuck to my same routine.”
Change is inevitable:
Before Wednesday’s game, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau was asked if a team needs to be choosy when making a midseason trade, accepting only players that fit well or know the system.
“I think whatever the circumstances are, you could always fit somebody in,” he said. “They may not have a full understanding of everything, but you can design specific packages for them when they’re in the game. That’s not uncommon.
“In general, it’s a league of change and you have to be able to respond quickly to any change that may occur, at any time. I think the teams that handle those situations the best are the ones that have the most success.”
Bull horns:
C.J. Watson missed his second game Wednesday with a sprained left ankle. He suggested he’ll likely be out until next Monday or Wednesday. … Milwaukee was missing Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Stephen Jackson and Andrew Bogut with injuries. ... When the Bulls outrebounded Indiana 60-32 on Monday, it was their largest rebound margin since April 7, 1997 when they beat Philadelphia 66-32 on boards.