Rose not ready to risk hamstring strain after feeling tightness…
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Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose left Tuesday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets after just 10 minutes due to his on-going hamstring issue.
Rose’s left hamstring hampered him during the first half of Tuesday’s game and he was noticeably less aggressive and he didn’t appear to be moving particularly well.
As a result, he did not return to the game after half-time as the Bulls fell to a 114-109 loss, but while Chicago listed the injury as left hamstring tightness, Rose said after the game that it was fine and that he was “just trying to be smart” given his injury history.
“It wasn’t nothing like I’m limping or I pulled it or anything, it wasn’t any of that,” Rose said.
“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.”
The 26-year-old was 1-for-4 from the field for two points in 10 minutes, and he insisted that it was Thibodeau who initiated the conversation as he could see that Rose was struggling on both ends of the court to keep up with Denver’s high-tempo offense.
“It’s frustrating,” Rose said. “But you can’t let it get me down. I know that at the end (the setbacks) are just going to be minor but it’s a long season and we just got to keep going and I know the team, they’re not worried about me. I should be good.”
Rose has already missed eight games so far this season, four due to the hamstring and four as a result of sprained ankles, and while Thibodeau insisted on Monday that he just needs to play, he took a different tone on Tuesday and was more protective of his star guard.
Thibodeau added that he didn’t believe Rose required an MRI scan and that he is hopeful he will be able to play against the Boston Celtics on Friday afternoon.
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