The Chicago Bulls visit the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night at Toyota Center with both teams navigating significant injury concerns ahead of their first meeting of the 2025-26 season.
Chicago enters the matchup at 18-20, sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, while Houston holds a 22-14 record and seventh place in the West despite a three-game losing streak.
The Bulls will be without several rotation pieces, most notably Josh Giddey, who remains out with a left hamstring strain after averaging 19.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game this season.
Coby White is also sidelined due to right calf injury management, removing an 18.6-point-per-game scorer from a backcourt that already lacks playmaking depth.
Zach Collins remains out with a sprained right big toe, further thinning Chicago’s frontcourt rotation behind Nikola Vucevic, who is averaging 16.5 points and 9.3 rebounds on 50.2 percent shooting.
Noa Essengue is unavailable following left shoulder surgery, while Yuki Kawamura, Emanuel Miller, and Lachlan Olbrich are inactive due to G League assignments. Julian Phillips is listed as probable despite a left wrist sprain.
Chicago is coming off a 125-107 home win over Dallas, snapping a two-game skid after a 15-point loss in Detroit earlier in the week.
Houston’s injury report is headlined by the continued absence of Fred VanVleet, who is out following right knee ACL repair. Tari Eason remains sidelined with a right ankle sprain, removing a versatile forward who has averaged 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in 21 appearances.
Dorian Finney-Smith is also out due to left ankle injury management. Isaiah Crawford and Tristen Newton are unavailable because of G League assignments, rounding out the Rockets’ inactive list.
Despite the injuries, Houston continues to post strong team numbers, averaging 117.9 points, 49.1 rebounds, and shooting 48.1 percent from the field, anchored by Kevin Durant’s 26.1 points per game and Alperen Sengun’s all-around production.
The Rockets are coming off consecutive road losses to Sacramento and Portland.
Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET.
