PHOENIX — Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade will play on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns after missing Wednesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors because of an upper respiratory infection.
“I feel good enough to play, for sure,” Wade said after Friday’s shootaround.
Bulls All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler remains questionable after missing the last three games because of a right heel injury. Butler, who initially injured the heel in a Feb. 1 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, admits there is still some pain in the heel after going through a scrimmage on Thursday.
“I’m hopeful that I will play tonight,” Butler said.
Butler acknowledges he wants to be cautious with the injury so that it doesn’t turn into something even bigger during the final two months of the season.
“It feels better but it’s not the same,” Butler said of the heel. “It’s not where I can go out there and be the player that I want to be to help this team win. And if you go out there and you play like that, now if I mess up something else and it’s even longer that I’m out, now what? All because you don’t want to take a couple days and get your heel right. That’s the way that I look at it. But man, I really want to play. And if I can go, I’m going. I promise you. If I can go, I’m going to go.”
Wade still isn’t feeling full strength after the last few days and will be watched closely as he makes his return on Friday night.
“I woke up with it and it took me down,” Wade said of his recent illness. “Obviously, it’s still in me. Still getting [the sickness] out. But I feel good enough to go out there and give my team a lift.”
In other injury news, Paul Zipser (left ankle tendinitis) will not play on Friday. Backup point guard Isaiah Canaan (left big toe sprain) is questionable.
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