Derrick Rose (hamstring) uncertain for Friday after sitting vs. Pacers
Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose missed Wednesday’s game against the Indiana Pacers with right hamstring tendinitis.
Rose was a late scratch for the game, which the Bulls won 102–100 in overtime. Kirk Hinrich started in his place, but Aaron Brooks came off the bench and played 40 minutes, scoring 29 points with five assists to help lead the team.
After the game, Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters the Bulls will take Thursday off and Rose will get treatment for his injury all day. His status is unclear for Friday’s game against the New York Knicks, and Hoiberg said the team is being cautious after Rose felt tightness in his leg.
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Before sitting out, Rose was in the midst of a strong three-game stretch that included his first back-to-back 20-point games of the season. The Bulls have now won three of their last four games, beating the Thunder, Raptors and Pacers, and appear to have rebounded from a frustrating stretch that began Dec. 18 with a four-overtime loss to Detroit.
The 27-year old Rose has a long history of knee surgeries and leg injuries, and has struggled to recapture the form that won him the MVP award in 2011, visibly sapped of some of his quickness and explosion off the floor. He suffered an orbital fracture before the season that affected his vision and forced him to wear a mask, which he recently stopped wearing. Before the game, Pacers coach Frank Vogel acknowledged Rose’s recent play and the need to gameplan for him.
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The Bulls (18–12) host the Knicks (15–18) on Friday night.
- Jeremy Woo
