Spurs-Bulls injury report: Vassell’s status and why Chicago is a trap game for San Antonio

The Spurs are riding a nine-game win streak, and that's the kind of run that could make a team comfortable. That makes complacency San Antonio's biggest opponent when they walk into the United Center on Wednesday night to face the Bulls.

Chi-Town is 1-8, but the Warriors are coming to the Frost Bank Center on Friday for an NBA Cup match, making this the type of game that looks easy until an overlooked squad punches you in the mouth. Devin Vassell is questionable with left adductor tightness, so the Spurs' starting group won't be set until closer to tip.

Spurs injury report

Maliq Brown - Out (G League)
Ja’Kobi Gillespie - Out (G League)
Tobias Harris - Out (Left calf)
Jayden Quaintance - Out (Right knee)
Devin Vassell - Questionable (Left adductor)

Bulls injury report

Tobe Awaka - Questionable (Low back tightness)
Zach Collins - Questionable (Respiratory illness)
Norman Powell - Questionable (Low back spasms)
Jaylin Sellers - Out (G League - On Assignment)

The Spurs have to treat Chicago with respect

Trap games don't announce themselves, and that's what makes them sneaky. They show up in the middle of a win streak against a team nobody's worried about with a bigger game coming up on the calendar. Wednesday checks those boxes.

The Silver and Black are usually good at staying in the moment, so they may not sleepwalk into this one, but there are no guarantees. I've watched enough basketball to know what happens when the engine is idling for too long. The Spurs have won six games by 15-plus points this season. It's been aggressive.

That kind of dominance can make any team feel invincible, and that matters for Wednesday night. Golden State is 8-3, and has the second-longest win streak in the NBA (eight), behind the Spurs. The last time they faced the Warriors when both teams were healthy (November 2025), Steph Curry's crew walked out with back-to-back victories.

These Warriors aren't 100% with Jimmy Butler still out, but that hasn't stopped them from racking up the Ws and launching Steph Curry into MVP sleeper territory.

Caleb Wilson makes the Bulls more than a free win

The No. 4 pick in this year's draft out of North Carolina is 20 years old and tied with Norman Powell for the team lead at 19.3 points per game, adding 6.3 rebounds. Wilson closed out the Bulls' lone win in Milwaukee, with 19 of his 21 points coming after halftime. He's scored 18 or more in four of his last five, so the Spurs must keep an eye on him.

Wilson isn't alone. Josh Giddey is the one running the show with 8.4 assists a night, Matas Buzelis has settled in as a 13.6-point scorer, and Jalen Smith has been a steady presence on the glass. Norman Powell is questionable with low back spasms, but when he's healthy, the Bulls have two guys who can get about 20 on any night.

Chicago has dropped seven in a row, but they've put up numbers. They scored 127 on the Knicks and 121 on Philadelphia on Sunday. A young star with nothing to lose and a bunch of bucket-getters around him is how upsets happen when the better team isn't locked in. That 0-2 start wasn't that long ago, so the guys need to stay hungry.

If Vassell is out again, expect the Spurs to roll with Julian Champagnie in the starting lineup again. San Antonio tips off in Chicago at 7:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday. Check back here for an update when the statuses are finalized.

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