Rose sitting out Bulls' practice; iffy for Cavs

10:03 AM CST, January 19, 2012

The Chicago Bulls planned to rest Derrick Rose for their 11 a.m. Thursday practice at the Berto Center, giving his sprained left big toe more time to heal.

When the Bulls play Friday in Cleveland, it will mark five days since Rose last played. The Bulls will hold a morning shootaround in Cleveland on Friday. It's possible, if not likely, the Bulls will hold Rose out of that as well. They finish a back-to-back series of games at home Saturday against Charlotte.

If Rose misses both those games, he will have had eight full days of rest before next week's schedule arrives. That week is one of the most normal of the entire season, with three straight home games and no back-to-back games. The Bulls play at home Monday, Wednesday and Friday with practice days in between, a rarity in this compressed, lockout-induced schedule.

1. Fact or Fiction: Rose’s turf toe will be a problem all season.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. I don’t have a crystal ball, but while I feel like this injury will reoccur over the remainder of this truncated season, I don’t think it will limit Rose in a way that dramatically affects the Bulls’ season. Rose is mentally tough enough to play through nagging injuries, and given the timing of this toe injury, I’m betting the medical staff and coaches are working on a smart plan. Maybe I’m being optimistic, but I don’t see this injury wilting Rose.

[...]

Marc Silverman: Fact. Turf toe is a chronic injury and has limited many big time athletes throughout the years. The Bulls must manage this and not chase regular season wins. The only thing that matters is chasing an NBA title. If they do it the right way, it will affect their seed, but not their postseason. A championship is still possible. The Bulls can navigate and win the East without home court advantage. Remember Joakim Noah's foot problems during the 2009-10 season? After sitting for long stretches, Noah had a great postseason, averaging 15 points and 13 rebounds. Rose can win the postseason MVP award if they manage the injury NOW.