Bulls’ Lauri Markkanen expected to make season debut Saturday

Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen is likely to play Saturday for the first time this season.

Markkanen was listed as probable on Saturday’s injury report, and the expectation is that he will suit up against the Houston Rockets after suffering an elbow injury during training camp.

Chicago's Lauri Markkanen is expected to make his season debut tonight in Houston. He is listed "probable" to return to the Bulls lineup against Rockets after suffering a sprained right elbow in training camp.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 1, 2018

Markkanen’s injury was a big blow to Chicago’s preseason preparation. He was initially projected to miss 6-8 weeks, and ended up right on the high end of that timeframe.

As a rookie, Markkanen averaged 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He’ll be looking to top those numbers as long as he can remain healthy the rest of the way.