Josh Giddey was on pace for a big year, flirting with a triple-double average that would put him in elite company. But for the Chicago Bulls, 9th in the Eastern Conference, their campaign just hit a significant roadblock.

Shams Charania of ESPN reported that a left hamstring strain will sideline the Bulls guard for at least a few weeks. Giddey sustained an injury in yesterday’s 136-101 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He left the game after playing just 18 minutes and didn’t return. Now we know why.

Currently, Josh Giddey is averaging a career-high 19.2 points, 9.0 assists, and 8.9 rebounds in 32.8 minutes per game, with 47% shooting from the field and 39% from three. The point guard is serving as a menace to rivals. His injury happened early in the third quarter. After making a pass to Nikola Vucevic, Giddey immediately grabbed his left hamstring. Losing him is truly unfortunate, as the Aussie was building an All-Star campaign this season.

But for now, rehab and rest are everything that he needs to recover.

How could Josh Giddey’s recovery timeline look?

Hamstring strains in the NBA are a delicate dance between recovery and urgency. Recovery time varies by injury grade, typically ranging from 1-2 weeks for mild cases to several weeks or more for severe ones.

Grade 1 strains let players bounce back in 7-10 days. Grade 2 injuries demand 3-4 weeks of structured rehab. Meanwhile, Grade 3 tears, sometimes needing surgery, can bench stars for half a year or more. Conditioning and fitness history primarily shape the rehab timeline.

Moreover, rehab requires patience. NBA players often follow structured rehab protocols to minimize the risk of re-injury during high-intensity play. Initial RICE treatment: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, sparks healing. Then, stretching, strengthening, and agility drills are used to prevent any recurrence.

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So for now, Josh Giddey will catch a breather before coming back to the floor. We don’t yet know the extent of the injury or the official timeline. It could be a week or maybe even four.

Until then, the Bulls need to hold down the fort. But for a team already dealing with the absences of Zach Collins (toe) and Coby White (calf), it isn’t getting any easier. They also have a jam-packed schedule with seven games from December 31 to January 10.

Ayo Dosunmu and Tre Jones should see more action while Giddey and White recover.