Derrick Rose leaves game against Nuggets with hamstring tightness
Bulls point guard Derrick Rose left Tuesday night's loss to the Nuggets in Denver with tightness in his left hamstring. Rose recorded two points on 1-for-4 shooting in 10 minutes before walking off the floor with less than three minutes remaining in the second quarter.
After the game, coach Tom Thibodeau said Rose would be re-evaluated but that he doesn't think Rose suffered another injury. The decision to sit Rose in the second half reportedly came about when Thibodeau approached Rose on the bench at halftime.
Rose said he did not feel anything "pop" or "pull" and that he was exercising caution.
• GOLLIVER: Bulls' Jimmy Butler is on the brink of NBA stardom
The 2011 MVP played in Monday's win over the Utah Jazz after missing the previous four games with a left hamstring injury. He has also missed four other games this season because of ankle sprains.
NBA Power Rankings: Cavaliers slide as issues mount, Nuggets find new life
Earlier this week, Thibodeau was asked whether Rose appeared tired during the second half of the Jazz win, in which Rose scored 18 points in 25 minutes.
"Oh, I don't know. Jesus. He's got to get out there and play," Thibodeau said, according to ESPN.com's Nick Friedell. "I thought he did a lot of good things. You could see he's not real comfortable with the ball yet, but that will come. When Derrick strings some games together, he's going to take off. He's got to go. That's the bottom line. He's got to go."
Rose has averaged 18.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in seven games this season. He sat out the entire 2012-13 season and missed all but 10 games last season with knee injuries. Rose has come under scrutiny for comments he made this month about thinking long-term when it comes to managing his injuries.
• VIDEO: Full highlights of Denver's 114-109 home victory against Chicago
“I’m good, man,’’ Rose said less than two days after scoring a season-high 24 points in a Nov. 10 win over the Detroit Pistons, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “I feel I’ve been managing myself pretty good. I know a lot of people get mad when they see me sit out. But I think a lot of people don’t understand that when I sit out, it’s not because of this year. I’m thinking about long-term. I’m thinking about after I’m done with basketball, having graduations to go to, having meetings to go to.
• MAHONEY: How Chicago's offense has grown with Rose sitting out
“I don’t want to be in my meetings all sore or be at my son’s graduation all sore just because of something I did in the past. Just learning and being smart.’’
Video: Nuggets' Ty Lawson breaks Kirk Hinrich's ankles in win over Bulls
Joakim Noah commented on Rose's situation after the point guard suffered the initial hamstring injury in a Nov. 13 road win over the Raptors. He offered a strongly-worded defense of his teammate saying, "Every time something happens to him, people act like it's the end of the world ... Everybody needs to chill the f--- out."
The Bulls' loss Tuesday night dropped their record to 9-6. They play their sixth consecutive road contest in Boston on Friday. Rose said he's hopeful that, after a couple days of rest, he will be available for that game.
