Thibodeau: Derrick Rose did not re-injure himself vs. Nuggets
Derrick Rose played only ten minutes in the Chicago Bulls’ Tuesday night game against the Denver Nuggets before reportedly experiencing hamstring tightness and leaving the game. But Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau says there is no new injury.
Via Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago:
They’ll re-examine him but there was really nothing that happened other than I didn’t want to take any chances with him. The way the game was going, the way we were going, I just felt at that point I wanted to go a different way. He didn’t re-injure himself or anything like that.
From Rose:
It wasn’t nothing like I’m limping or I pulled it or anything, it wasn’t any of that. It was just that I wasn’t moving the way I wanted to while I was on the floor. So why push through it when I wasn’t able to affect the game the way I wanted to? I came in here and talked to (Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau) and we both agreed on just sitting out.
Rose has played in 7 of the Bulls 15 games so far this season due to a combination of ankle and hamstring injuries. The constant conversation of Rose’s health has weighed on the Bulls for the last few years. Good news for Chicago is that his injuries are not major or season-ending.
Ultimately, the Bulls are capable of being better than they used to be without Rose because they have Pau Gasol and Jimmy Butler is playing at such a high level. Having Rose back 100 percent isn’t really needed until the postseason, and he has plenty of time to get there. Patience and prayer are key virtues for Bulls fans this season when it comes to Derrick Rose.