Derrick Rose News: Former MVP to Be 'Cleared for Contact,' Will He Make It to the Playoffs?
Since the 2014-15 season began, a lot of basketball fans have been expecting the Chicago Bulls to make an impact in the Eastern Conference.
With the return of Derrick Rose, the rise of Jimmy Butler, the addition of premier big man Pau Gasol, and the recovery of former Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah, the Bulls are certainly in a good position to reach the ECF for only the second time in almost two decades.
Unfortunately, just when Rose was beginning to get hot with his 20-point, five-assist average in January, he suffered another injury.
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Several weeks after his surgery, reports from Windy City are optimistic that the 26-year-old point guard will still make a return come playoff time. According to a report by the Chicago Tribune, Rose has been shooting threes in practice sessions, and he's making most of them.
In an interview with Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, he said that the former MVP is "pretty close" to being cleared for contact.
"It's just step-by-step," said the former coach of the year. "The first week is just range of motion, strengthening the knee. And then you progress from there. He's doing just about everything now except the contact."
Currently, the Bulls are missing Rose's playmaking skills, and the team has also lost six out of its last 10 games, dropping from the second spot in the East to fourth place behind Atlanta, Cleveland and Toronto.
Once Rose gets the nod to get physical during practice time, it will still definitely take a couple more weeks before he can play in an actual game.
But with the way Chicago is playing, the next game he'll play may be the pre-season for 2015-16.
