This is part of the Sameer Jhaveri NBA Special – a column that will bring you the latest news and highlights of the NBA season. This edition focuses on Chicago Bulls’ point guard Derrick Rose and how it affects Chicago if he does or doesn’t play in the upcoming playoffs.
by Sameer Jhaveri ’15
As we move out of the headlines of “The Heat Streak” and into the upcoming NBA playoffs, many questions have been asked about the possible return of Chicago Bulls’ franchise player Derrick Rose. There is no certain answer to whether Rose plans to return for any part of the season or not, but the media feeding question continues to be asked anyways.
Rose has not played a game since May 12, after suffering an ACL tear which takes about 8-12 months to come back from. Rose is taking his recovery very seriously, and does not seem the least bit pressured by the media or fans to rush his rehab. The three-time All-Star is clear to play and has been since February 18, but finds it “pointless to return if there is still something nagging.”
Rose has been seen in pre-game warm ups, working out, practicing and even taking part in 5 on 5 scrimmages with the team, which keeps everyone pondering over the question; When will we see Rose? At this point, nobody is 100 percent ready to answer that question, but we have been unofficially told that we will not see the former MVP for the remainder of the season.
About a day after Coach Tom Thibodeau said there is no deadline for Rose’s return, he came right out and defended his point guard, telling the Chicago Tribune, “Look, this was not unexpected. A player like Derrick, there’s going to be a lot of attention on and rightfully so.” He added, “This guy has done an incredible job with his career, with this franchise, and we understand how important it is… We knew [missing the season] would be a possibility all along.”
Although this is a big letdown for Bulls fans, it should definitely be no surprise. Rose has told the media in past interviews that he doesn’t “mind missing the rest of the season.” Even players from around the league, like Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, told the media to stop pestering Rose. “What’s two more months going to do?” Anthony said, and the answer is nothing.
The Bulls have been rolling this entire season, proving that they are just fine without Rose. They currently have a 44-37, and only have one game left to their season, and it happens to be against the Washington Wizards. The outcome of that game, and the Atlanta Hawks’ game against the Toronto Raptors, depends on who the Bulls face in the first round of the playoffs. The Bulls have been under the leadership of Joakim Noah, who earned his first NBA All-Star appearance, along with Luol Deng, who earned his second consecutive All-Star appearance.
Realistically speaking, a Rose-less Bulls team heading into the playoffs with a Miami Heat team coming off some much needed rest, I think it will be miraculous if they even get by the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers are in an identical situation as the Bulls right now, missing their star player Danny Granger to Patellar Tendinosis. Reluctantly, Pacers’ Guard Paul George was able to step up, bring leadership and occupy the clutch role for the team. So who has the edge? Let’s take a look at the match-ups:
Point Guard: George Hill vs. Kirk Hinrich. No question George Hill. He is far more athletic than Hinrich, and has a 15.6 Efficiency Rating compared to Hinrich’s 10.3 Efficiency Rating.
Shooting Guard: Lance Stephenson vs. Jimmy Butler. Equal. They each have average similar stats. Stephenson averages more assists, but also averages more minutes per game. I think Butler is a harder worker, and has shown to be very valuable to the Bulls in clutch situations. But losing both these guys, I would trust Marco Belenelli a lot more than Orlando Johnson.
Small Forward: Paul George vs. Luol Deng. Both players were All-stars this year. Both played tremendous roles for their teams, but I have to take Paul George. Paul George averaged more in points, rebounds, and assists this year, and I think has grown, since his rookie, into a more talented player than Deng. They are both very athletic players, but I think Paul George has more athleticism than Deng.
Power Forward: David West vs. Carlos Boozer. Besides the fact that West averages more points, and Boozer more rebounds, they both have similar stats. I think Boozer has a better ability to crash the boards, which will play a factor. This is why I would give Boozer the edge. You can’t just put off rebounds in the playoffs, Roy Hibbert has enough to worry about matching up with Joakim Noah, so the help is not going to be there.
Center: Roy Hibbert vs. Joakim Noah. Without a doubt Noah. Noah averages more points, rebounds, assists, steals and minutes. Noah has also found his role with Chicago, and is a team leader for the Bulls. Noah is arguably the best offensive rebounder in the NBA, and is far more superior to Hibbert at this point.
So does Rose play any factor in the playoffs? Not much. The fact of the matter remains that this entire decision depends on how Rose feels. It doesn’t matter what I think, the fans think, or what the media thinks, it’s all for Rose to decide. No one else knows whether his ACL feels ready or not, or if he is comfortable to return just yet. In fact if he does decide to return early and join the bulls in the playoffs, I think he will decrease the chances of Chicago winning.
Coach Thibodeau will have to take it slow with Rose, and make sure he keeps Rose’s minutes in check. He has to make sure that he doesn’t overplay Rose in his first couple weeks back and put too much stress on him, and his surgically repaired ACL. Thibodeau worrying about how Rose feels takes away from the Bulls focusing on beating the Pacers, or whoever they end up facing in the first round. That’s why I think it was a good idea for Rose to indirectly rule himself out for the season. Even though it isn’t official, I am almost positive that we will not see Rose on the court until next season. However, the day he is ready to return to the court will be a great day in Chicago.
