Chicago Bulls: Chicago Needs Second Scorer to Ease Pressure on Derrick Rose

The Chicago Bulls have had little trouble keeping their regular-season roll going amidst Derrick Rose's ongoing injury woes, though they'll be hard-pressed to deliver an NBA title to the Windy City without more help for the reigning MVP.

Rose has missed seven of the Bulls' first 30 games this season, five of which have come on account of a case of turf toe.

And the other two? They're the product of Rose's recurring back problems, which, according to ESPNChicago.com, are not the result of any structural damage but rather of muscular spasms.

The good news, then, is that Rose won't have to undergo any sort of surgery or miss weeks and months at a time. On the flip side, Rose remains day-to-day with a condition infamous for being tricky and unpredictable for trainers and doctors to deal with.

Oh, and then there's the whole business of the Bulls counting on Rose to carry them in just about every phase of the game. Carlos Boozer (15.4 points, 8.2 rebounds) and (borderline) All-Star Luol Deng (15.6 points, 7.0 rebounds) have been solid up front, though Chicago remains in search of a solid scorer at shooting guard to make Rose's life at the point that much easier. Richard Hamilton was supposed to be that guy but has played in just 11 games while dealing with a fickle groin injury.

As admirably as Ronnie Brewer has performed in Rip's stead (8.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists as a starter), it's clear that the Bulls' problems at the off-guard spot are far from over. What's more, the longer those issues persist, the greater the burden is on Rose to create shots for himself and his teammates, and, consequently, the greater the likelihood that he winds up with another malady, especially in the mad dash to the end of the 66-game schedule.

In the meantime, Chicago should have little trouble winning games in the regular season and securing one of the top two spots in the Eastern Conference, whether Rose plays or not. The Bulls are sound enough as a team and play strong enough defense that they can string together 45-50 wins heading into the playoffs, if not more, thanks in large part to a slate loaded with the NBA's barrel-bottom scrapings known otherwise as the bulk of the East.

But when the postseason comes and the Bulls are faced with the likes of the Miami Heat, the Indiana Pacers and the Philadelphia 76ers on a nightly basis, their backcourt troubles will be all too apparent.

So while D-Rose is busy getting treatment on his back, Bulls GM Gar Forman would be wise to keep his eyes peeled for any and every quality shooting guard who might be able to help his team's cause at a reasonable price, including J.R. Smith and O.J. Mayo.

Otherwise, the Bulls will be bound for a disappointingly early exit from the postseason and a summer spent wondering what could've been.

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