Derrick Rose all set to make a comeback against the New York Knicks on Sunday – NBA Recap
Chicago Bulls star point guard Derrick Rose is a strong possibility for the game against Carmelo Anthony and his New York Knicks on Sunday night at the Madison Square Garden, New York.
The Bulls henchman has missed the last 12 game due to a right groin injury and Coach Tom Thibodeau has been very cautious with his franchise player. Rose was also a game time decision in the last game against the Boston Celtics,
but Tom decided not to play him.
However, after Saturday’s practice, Rose sounded confident about his return;
"I'm feeling good," Rose said after Saturday morning's practice. "My groin's not bothering me. I'm happy to move on. My spirits are up. Today is my first full practice. Just practicing with the guys felt good out there and hopefully
I'll be playing Sunday."
The Bulls have surprisingly hit a purple patch in Rose’s absence. They have gone 8-4 without him, taking down bitter Eastern Conference rivals Miami Heat and Boston Celtics along the way. The run of form allowed Rose to take extra
time to recuperate from the injury and he added that the final decision to join the team for the Knicks game lies with him, not his coach.
"It's really not up to him, it's up to me," Rose said. "Where if I'm feeling good, I'm going to play. If I think that I need some more days, I'm going to take some more days. But more than likely I'll be out there."
The extended rest may be blessing in disguise for the Bulls and Rose. It was only in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat last season that Rose candidly admitted to fatigue as the reason for his shaky performances. With
him missing a total of 22 games so far this season, the question of tiredness goes out of the window and all the Bulls need to do is to give Rose some games in the closing stretch of the regular season so that the guard can synchronize with the system before
heading to the playoffs.
Thibodeau when asked about Rose’s availability toed the same old line and branded him as ‘game time’ decision. The Knicks who are currently 28-27, only one game ahead of the fast approaching Milwaukee Bucks would however be hoping
that the star point guard takes another day off.
The Knicks desperately need to win Sunday’s fixture to keep their playoff hopes secure and Derrick’s arrival in the Bulls lineup would greatly add to the difficulty of their task.
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