After being initially listed as a starter against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis, the Chicago Bulls scratched point guard Derrick Rose for Saturday.
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Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau made it a last-minute decision, but ultimately held point guard Derrick Rose out of the lineup Saturday in Minneapolis, where the Bulls are facing the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Rose left Friday’s overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers after spraining both ankles, but warmed up for Saturday’s game, at which point he was listed as a projected starter, according to Andy Greder of the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press.
#Bulls guard Derrick Rose (ankles, especially the left) is listed as a projected starter tonight against the #Twolves.
— Andy Greder (@twolvesnow) November 1, 2014
However, about 20 minutes before tipoff, ESPN.com’s Nick Friedell reported that Rose had been pulled out of the lineup.
Rose warmed up on the floor, but obviously Bulls want to be safe. Now Bulls PR says both Rose and Gibson are out tonight.
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) November 1, 2014
Some of that could have been gamesmanship on Thibodeau’s part, but it also could have been some hedging of his bets while the organization made a decision on Rose’s status.
Ultimately, the decision was made to err on the side of safety—it’s the third game of an 82-game schedule and there’s no need in pushing Rose on bad wheels this early in the season.
In two games, Rose has played 47 minutes, including 25 on Friday night, and has 33 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and two steals. He’s 11-for-23 from the floor, 2-for-9 from long distance and 9-for-11 at the foul line.
Since tearing his ACL in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round against the Philadelphia 76ers in May 2012, Rose has played in only 12 of a possible 166 regular-season games and has missed all 17 of Chicago’s postseason games in that span.
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