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Rose optimistic about facing Raptors

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Nov 14

Though Derrick Rose missed his second consecutive day of practice, the Bulls star point guard is hopeful his sore right hamstring won’t prevent him from playing against the Raptors in Toronto on Friday.

“There’s a chance,” Rose said of his status following practice at the Berto Center. “Right now, I’m feeling alright. Just trying to rest and do a little treatment. But more than likely, I’ll be out there playing.”

In the last 48 hours, Rose has received a variety of treatment for his hamstring and apparently it has responded well. He was the last one off the court on Thursday, working with the team’s Director of Sports Performance, Jen Swanson, to loosen up before shooting jump shots.

Rose stretches out his sore hamstring

“She knows everything,” said Rose of Jen Swanson, Director of Sports Performance for the Bulls. “I’ve been working with her at [Athletes’ Performance] for two years now. So going to see her, she knows my body even better than I do.”

“[It’s] just tight,” said Rose of his hamstring. “I’m trying to take my time and not go out there and overextend myself. I haven’t been practicing the last couple of days, but I know that I should be ready to go (Friday).”

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is taking a more conservative approach with Rose, acknowledging he’ll play Rose when he’s ready, but first wanting to see how he looks in Friday morning’s shootaround.

“We’ll see,” said Thibodeau. “It’s day-to-day. He’s a little bit better today. We’ll see where he is (Friday). He’ll be a game-time decision.

“He tweaked a hamstring so he’s concentrating on rehab right now and then we’ll see,” Thibodeau added. “Each day he’s been a little better, but we’ll see where he is (Friday).”

While Rose sounds eager to return to action and help the Bulls to a third straight win, Thibodeau wants to be certain he’s not rushing back.

“You just want to make sure that he’s completely healthy,” said Thibodeau. “He’s been off for 18 months; it’s a long time to be off. There are going to be some bumps and bruises along the way, but just put everything you have into each and every day and just go from there.”

Rose admits that he had a feeling the aforementioned bumps and bruises could be coming this season, but he’s also confident that he’s doing all the right things to prevent them.

“I guess so,” said Rose. “But this is the most I’ve ever took care of my body. I can’t get myself frustrated about it. I’ve just got to go out there and continue to do what I do when I step on the court, and that’s play hard. And off the court, eat right, change my diet a little more, and really take care of my body like I’ve been doing.

“As long as I’m getting them early [rather] than late,” Rose added of nagging injuries such as this one, “I’m cool with it.”

So while it’s yet to be decided whether or not Rose will be in the lineup Friday in Toronto or Saturday at home against Indiana, he stressed that this latest issue is nothing to worry about.

“It’s not a concern at all,” said Rose. “I think everything that I do or if I get hurt—it could be anything—it’s going to be blown out of proportion. But I’m doing fine and it shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

“If the game was today, I’d be playing,” Rose reiterated. “Like I said, I’m not worried about that. I’m taking my time and not pushing myself and not extending myself.”

Rose’s statistics in the regular season—he’s averaging 14.7 points, 4.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 31.5 minutes while shooting 33.3 percent from the field and 25.0 percent from long range—are not on par with his previous year’s numbers yet, but that hasn’t deterred him one bit.

“As long as I’m going out there and playing the way that I normally play, I could care less about my performance,” said Rose. “I’m putting my all into my workouts and when I go out there and play, I’m trying to win the game. As far as how I’ve been performing, I could really care less about it as long as I’m trying my hardest while I’m out there.”

In other words, Rose is judging himself on his team’s wins and losses.

“Exactly, and effort,” he said.

Audio—Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau meets the media following practice (11.14.2013):

Audio—Bulls guard Derrick Rose on his hamstring injury and getting back on the court (11.14.2013):

Audio—Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich on the possibility of needing to step in for Rose and starting versus coming off the bench (11.14.2013):

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