Derrick Rose Not Cleared For Full Contact Yet
(CBS) Bulls point guard Derrick Rose didn't return to full contact Friday at practice, as was thought to be a possibility, but he's expected to be a full go in practice next week.
Following a Feb. 27 surgery to remove the torn portion of his right medial meniscus, Rose was given a timetable to return of four to six weeks by the Bulls. Today marks four weeks since that procedure. Rose participated in practice Friday but didn't scrimmage, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said.
Rose is expected to be cleared sometime next week for full contact.
"Most likely, it will be next week, but I don't want to jump ahead," Thibodeau said.
Once he returns to full contact, Rose has said he can be back to game action a week or two after that, assuming no setbacks. On Wednesday, he reported having no soreness or pain in the knee.
After hosting the Knicks on Saturday, the Bulls will have plenty of time for practice with three off days following that. Rose has maintained the belief that he'll return this season.
"He looks good," teammate Mike Dunleavy said of the drills Rose did participate in. "But unfortunately, the games are full contact, and he's got to be looking good when he starts doing contact. That will come in due time and hopefully in time for our playoff run."
Chicago is currently 44-29 and in third place in the East, but it has only had its starting lineup healthy for 19 games this season. The Bulls are 15-4 in those games, giving them confidence, but the concern is if they'll have the needed continuity with so many moving parts late in the season.
"We got a lot of guys that can really play," Dunleavy said. "My thought would be somehow, some way, we can get a lineup in there that will figure it out and be pretty good down the stretch."