Bulls must go slow with Noah, Rose
A month into the season and already depleted by injuries, the Bulls need to mesh, "He's got to go" with "He's got to stay healthy."
The obvious answer is a strategy that has been prevalent in the NBA for years: No back-to-back games for Derrick Rose or Joakim Noah, at least for a couple of months.
The Bulls could sit one player one night and the other player the next, or go all in for one of the two games. Either way, the Bulls need Rose and Noah for the long haul and it has been painfully obvious that a slow buildup is necessary for both players as they return from knee surgeries.
If the Bulls carried such a plan through the all-star break, it would mean nine games missed. Not ideal, but the top priority is having everyone healthy for a playoff run, right?
On Monday in Utah, coach Tom Thibodeau expressed some frustration with the Bulls' rotating lineups. Asked about Rose, Thibodeau said, "When Derrick strings some games together, he's going to take off. So he's got to go."
A night later, Rose couldn't go. He tried, but played just 10 minutes of the first half in a 114-109 loss to Denver. Rose wasn't moving well and agreed with Thibodeau's halftime suggestion to shut it down.
Against Utah, Rose scored 18 points in 25 minutes. Before that he sat out four games with a left hamstring strain. On Tuesday night in Denver, Thibodeau said there was no recurrence of the injury. He just didn't want to take a chance.
"It wasn't anything like I'm limping or I pulled it or anything, it wasn't any of that," Rose said after the game, according to espn.com. "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 Thibs and we both agreed on just sitting out."
Rose has played in just seven of 15 games this season, and in three of those he left early with injuries. He sprained both ankles on Oct. 31 against Cleveland, then suffered the hamstring strain late in a win at Toronto on Nov. 13.
"It's frustrating, but can't let it get me down," Rose said. "I know that at the end (the setbacks) are just going to be minor but it's a long season and we've just got to keep going. I know the team, they're not worried about me. I should be good."
Noah was poked in the eye during the Utah game, which was one reason he needed the night off in Denver. But Thibodeau said Noah also had effusion in his left knee, which means a buildup of fluid.
Noah had arthroscopic surgery on that knee in May. He said recently it's feeling much better than it did to start of training camp. But fluid isn't great news. It's a warning to take things slowly.
Depth is one of the Bulls' better qualities, so they should be able to survive extra days off by Rose and Noah. Aaron Brooks and Kirk Hinrich have filled in well at point guard, and Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol have stepped up as reliable scorers.
The Bulls were in a difficult spot Tuesday, missing both Noah and Taj Gibson (left ankle sprain). Thibodeau started rookie Cameron Bairstow at power forward against the Nuggets. He managed just 2 points and 2 rebounds in his first significant NBA action.
The injuries created room in the lineup for Nikola Mirotic, which could bring long-term benefits. Mirotic had something of a breakout game against Portland last Friday with 24 points. He wasn't as effective against Utah and Denver, but the former Real Madrid star has the skills to play in the NBA. He should improve quickly with more playing time.
The Bulls will bypass Chicago for Thanksgiving and continue the circus road trip Friday afternoon in Boston. The last stop is Sunday at Brooklyn.
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