Bulls' Derrick Rose Out Against Heat With Groin Injury
By Cody Westerlund--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Bulls point guard Derrick Rose will miss Friday night's home game against the Heat after suffering a left groin injury in Thursday's loss to the Spurs.
Rose suffered the injury in the fourth quarter, coach Fred Hoiberg said, while Rose indicated he experienced more soreness as the game went on.
"Day to day," Rose said. "Frustrating? I wouldn't say it's frustrating. I'm controlling all I can control, trying my hardest to be out there. The reality of it is stuff like this happens.
"Just listening to my body. I think nobody knows my body but me. I'm just trying to listen to it."
This will be Rose's 11th missed game of the season and his first for a groin injury. Rose made it clear recently that he's the one who decides when he's healthy enough to play, though Hoiberg added that everyone was on the same page in this call.
"It's everybody's decision," Hoiberg said.
Chicago has Saturday and Sunday off before playing Monday at Toronto. Rose is averaging 16.7 points, third-most on the team.
Rose expressed no concern that the injury could be long term. With the Bulls sitting a half-game out of the final playoff spot in the East, every game is precious in the standings. Still, Rose indicated he will approach the stretch run with the same cautious approach he's taken all season when muscles flare up and didn't want to get into possibilities of how much pain he'd play through with a playoff spot on the line.
"Just keep doing what I'm doing," Rose said. "I don't answer if questions. Ifs never happen."
Rose did agree there was a sense of desperation in the playoff chase.
"We've been having that for the last 20-some, 30 games," Rose said. "Just trying to find a way.
"It's very important, just to make the playoffs period. It's very important, especially with the veteran group we have."
Having already been ruled out, All-Star wing Jimmy Butler worked out Friday for the second consecutive day as he works back from his left knee injury, and Hoiberg added he "feels good." The hope is Butler can play Monday. He's averaging a team-high 22.4 points.
"We'll work him out again the next two days with three-on-three tomorrow and then hopefully some five-on-five, if we have enough bodies, on Sunday before we head to Toronto," Hoiberg said.
With Rose and Butler out Friday, the Bulls will start Justin Holiday on the wing Friday against the Heat.
In other news, Bulls big man Joakim Noah has rejoined the Bulls and was at the United Center on Friday night. He's out for the rest of the regular season with a shoulder injury and had been rehabbing in New York. He'll be a constant presence around the Bulls when they're in Chicago but won't travel on the road, Hoiberg said.
