Patrick Williams and Noa Essengue are questionable for the Bulls in Boston on Monday after both missed the loss to Washington

Patrick Williams and Noa Essengue are both questionable for the Chicago Bulls‘ game against the Boston Celtics on Monday, October 26, after each sat out Saturday’s 124-120 home loss to the Washington Wizards.

Williams is listed with a groin injury, described earlier as soreness and tightness in his right adductor, and Essengue with a contusion on the right side of his head. Both are listed as questionable on the league’s official injury report, and both are forwards, so their status shapes how thin Chicago is up front for the second game of a three-game stretch in five days.

Two forwards, two different roles

Essengue, the 19-year-old Frenchman whose contract option the Bulls picked up on October 20, has been the more important of the two so far. He played 17 minutes in the 132-124 win in Milwaukee on Friday, with 4 points, 3 steals, a block and a plus-14, after a 10-minute outing in the 135-92 loss in Toronto. He was ruled out on Saturday with the head injury.

Williams has not played yet this season. He was a coach’s decision in the first two games before the groin kept him out on Saturday, so his return would add depth rather than change the rotation.

Chicago is also without center Nicolas Claxton, who is out with a hamstring injury and not projected back before Wednesday, November 4. That has pushed Jalen Smith into the starting group; he scored 14 against Washington.

Who fills in

If Essengue sits again, Zach Collins is likely to keep the backup frontcourt minutes, Rotoworld noted. Collins played 11 minutes on Saturday, with 2 points and 3 rebounds. The starting forwards, Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis, are healthy; Wilson had 30 points and 14 rebounds in the loss to the Wizards, and Buzelis added 21.

Boston’s list is short. Devin Carter is out with an illness, and RJ Luis Jr. is listed for a reason unrelated to injury. Every designation is on our NBA injury report page.

What comes next

The 1-2 Bulls visit the Celtics on Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET (2:30 a.m. Tuesday in Cairo): Bulls at Celtics Game Center. They host the Knicks on Wednesday, October 28, at 8 p.m. ET (3 a.m. Thursday in Cairo): Knicks at Bulls Game Center.