Johnson: By Not Playing Rose You're 'Putting Shackles On Him'
(WSCR) A reoccurring theme during this shortened NBA season has been the health of Derrick Rose and whether or not he should be playing on a nightly basis.
One NBA expert said that if you choose to sit Rose, you're inhibiting his ability.
"I know he did not look 100 percent last night, but if he thinks he can play, why limit this guy?" K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune told The Mully and Hanley Show. "This is who he is. Then, you're putting shackles on him and kind of robbing him of the competitive spirit that drives him."
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Johnson said that Rose's desire to play even when not 100 percent healthy stems from more than just his competitive nature.
"The example I always point to is the Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee game in Memphis," Johnson explained. "Derrick wanted to play badly that day, not only because who he is and how competitive he is, but also, he's one of these guys who understands his responsibility to the game. He understood how many people had bought tickets just to see him play that day because of his association with Memphis. He tried like heck to play that day. He went out, warmed up, went through his normal warmup, worked very hard with rehab to try and get out there that day. He knew he couldn't go, so he came in the locker room and the look on his face was one of pure dejection."
