Derrick Rose’s chances of playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers this coming Tuesday just got a big boost after the former NBA Most Valuable player logged in some playing time in the team’s preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks.
It seems that the game was the yardstick which the Bulls would be using to see if Rose can play on opening day.
Rose still has a bit of swelling on his left eye after undergoing operation for a fractured left orbital. He played with a clear protective mask Friday against the Mavs and thankfully was not hit in the face.
Aside from the swelling, the other concern was his reported double-vision issues which he claims is improving.
So would these developments be enough to convince new head coach Fred Hoiberg to play Rose against the Cavs?
Right now, Hoiberg doesn’t see any reason why Rose would not play unless he suffers another setback between now and opening day.
And it seems Hoiberg has good reason to want Rose back on the floor, seeing how Rose is a key to the success of his offense, something Rose seems to be pretty much comfortable with.
"Our pace was as good as it has been all preseason. And the other guys were running with him," Hoiberg said via the Chicago Tribune. "That's what Derrick can do."
The preseason appearance was apparently used as well to get Rose into the groove of things despite playing only 10 minutes. It remains to be seen if Hoiberg will give the star guard longer playing minutes against the Cavs.
With Rose seemingly having better chances of playing, it remains to be seen if his star counterpart on the Cleveland side, Lebron James, will be playing as well.
James has been bothered by an old back injury and such has placed his availability for Tuesday as questionable. It is the same injury that bothered him in January that eventually forced him to sit out two weeks.
James did receive anti-inflammatory shots but to help his back problems but the Cavs star player has yet to get clearance to spring back into action.
But as far as head coach David Blatt and general manager David Griffin is concerned, he is confident that James will be ready by game time.
"We have no reason to believe that, but we also are of the mindset that it wouldn't be the end of the world if he didn't play on Tuesday. We just want him to get better every day and he has been, and he's been progressing and feeling like we'd like him to feel," says Griffin from ESPN.
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