Billy Donovan’s “more possession” admission adds to ongoing soft tissue injury concerns

Lately, concerns have been raised about how greater possessions lead to increased injuries in the NBA. In addition to Steve Kerr sounding the alarm, Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan is joining the fray. 

On Monday, Donovan expressed his thoughts before the Bulls’ showdown against the Minnesota Timberwolves when asked by Sam Smith of NBA.com. 

“I do think it’s a factor,” Donovan said. “One is that the more possessions there are, the more opportunities for collision, and when you consider contact injuries and certainly the number of minutes and the pace and speed of the game, probably led to some soft tissue issues. So I think that’s a fair statement.”

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan agrees that increased possessions in the nba can lead to injuries pic.twitter.com/t4XLjC5Qj8

— Zachary Draves (@DravesZachary) December 29, 2025

Essentially, the more times a player gets the ball, the more work they have to put in. That means more running, jumping, cutting, and other movements, which can put greater strain on the body. Specifically, that applies to hamstrings, quads, and other leg muscles. As an example, LeBron James missed the first four weeks of the season due to sciatica, a lower-quadrant injury. 

The Bulls have bounced back from a seven-game losing streak to win five out of their last six games. They come into the game against the Timberwolves at 15-16, but with Zach Collins out with a toe injury. 

The Bulls who get the ball more have all been injured.

As the calendar wraps up, the Bulls have had a tough go of it when it comes to injuries. At one point, they had 11 players out with injuries, which contributed to a lack of depth and the series of losses. 

Among those players included Josh Giddey, Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, and Ayo Dosunmu. Each of whom the system revolves around, particularly Giddey.

Giddey is the main facilitator, currently second in the NBA with seven triple-doubles, behind Nikola Jokic with 16. Giddey is playing on Monday despite battling a recent right ankle sprain. 

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