Bernstein: Bulls Must Be Wary Of Physical Toll
Our early assessments of the Bulls are all based on how we envision them when Carlos Boozer returns. So far, their play has done nothing to dampen the heightened expectations for them to contend in the NBA's Eastern Conference.
But what will they look like when Boozer's broken hand has healed by mid-December?
Derrick Rose said yesterday he's been battling a chronic case of turf toe on his left foot since last year's playoffs. "It's there forever, now," Rose told the Daily Herald. "That's going to be an injury I'm going to have for a long time. It's something I can definitely block out, but tough games, I've got to ice it and get stim' on it."
Great. We're six games into 82 of the regular season, and the star has a bad toe. Everyone still happy about his international experience with Team USA?
There is no backup for Rose, either, since C.J. Watson's basketball IQ makes Jannero Pargo look like Steve Nash. The entire second unit, frankly, can be counted on for nothing at this point.
Taj Gibson is logging starter's minutes after offseason shock-wave therapy on his feet to combat the plantar fasciitis that last year had him in compression boots while sleeping.
The same condition afflicted Joakim Noah, causing him to miss significant time. Noah is leading the team with 40.3 minutes per game, and has been a dynamo -- his end-to-end effort irreplaceable.
As enjoyable as his screaming, chest-pounding performance has been (as he has run out to the NBA lead in rebounding average at a whopping 15), it would be nice if he did not have to do everything, every night.
Omer Asik is not really helpful, even though he is not terrible. Kurt Thomas, who averaged 7.9 rebounds and 28 minutes for Milwaukee in last year's playoffs, is apparently hurt, out of shape, both, or just finally done. Brian Scalabrine is a practice body.
I understand that Boozer's return slides Gibson back to his ideal place with the second group, where his minutes will stabilize reasonably. Gibson has improved his offensive game to the point that he merits opponents' attention beyond just his face-up jumper, and he'll get the chance as at least a second option in many of their sets.
They have to get to Boozer's return, though.
The upcoming schedule is a meat-grinder: two winnable home games are followed by the seven-game "circus trip" out west. The next two after that are against Orlando and at Boston.
Conditions like turf toe and plantar fasciitis don't just pop up. They become ingrained over such times as these, when a key injury and bench limitations conspire to cause overuse.
No easy answers are available, it seems. The Bulls are trying to win games in an increasingly stout conference, as they assimilate the style and strategies of a new coach. Reliable backup point guards and rugged interior players are not readily-available commodities.
But "Derrick Rose" and "turf toe" are not what we want to be hearing in the same sentence this early in a promising season that has already been dealt one serious blow.
