Rose plays, says he's OK
When Derrick Rose headed out to the court before Thursday's game against Miami, he didn't warm up, but he did give his injured right wrist a workout.
Rose went out to greet a couple of high school basketball teams - his alma mater, Simeon, and Class 4A state champion Whitney Young, which was honored at halftime.
After shaking a bunch of hands, Rose signed one autograph and delivered a right-handed high five to a fan on the way back to the locker room. The wrist seemed healthy enough, so Rose suited up and played 31 minutes against the Heat, finishing with 9 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds.
"I can't follow through all the way, but I'm fine," he said before the game.
Rose knew he was in good shape Thursday morning when he was able to turn doorknobs with his right wrist and get out of his house. To be sure, he shot between 60 and 80 jumpers at the Berto Center.
The wrist injury forced Rose to miss the first game of his rookie season Tuesday against Detroit. It happened when Rose struck his wrist on the rim while missing a dunk late in the second quarter the previous night in Washington. He went on the play most of the second half.
"I think that's what messed me up," Rose said. "I thought it was just a little jam. I told Jeff (Tanaka) the trainer at half that it was kind of tight. He was pulling on it for a little bit. It just got right back stiff that morning and painful."
The Bulls unveiled a prop to promote Rose for rookie of the year - Rose-colored glasses made from plastic and cardboard.
Hinrich starts again: Even though Derrick Rose was able to play Thursday, Kirk Hinrich started at guard for the second straight game. Coach Vinny Del Negro acknowledged that Rose will be a starter once he's completely healthy.
"It really doesn't matter right now," Rose said. "Kirk is doing a good job, so I'm just doing what the coach tells me to do."
That lineup also gave the Bulls a better defensive matchup with Hinrich guarding Miami's Dwyane Wade most of the night.
Bull horns: Forward Tim Thomas did not play Thursday due to back spasms. ... Center Jerome James, acquired from New York in the Larry Hughes trade, made his first appearance since joining the Bulls. The 7-foot-1 center, who is out for the year with a torn Achilles, sat on the bench Thursday. ... Thursday was Latin Night with the home team wearing red jerseys reading "Los Bulls" for the first time.