Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose Again a Game-Time Decision

In what has become a phrase far too familiar with the Derrick Rose-era in Chicago, the Bulls' star forward is officially listed as a game-time decision, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. What may offer a glimpse of hope, however, is the fact that he actually practiced today.

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"He did some shooting, ran through some offense," [head coach Tom] Thibodeau said. "He did some of the defensive drills. He did the walkthrough."

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While we could run a full story on the prospect of Rose playing or not, there's a different angle I'd like to approach this from. Rather than evaluating the Bulls' level of play without Rose, which has been quite impressive, I'd like to call into question the mental effect Rose's constant status as a "game-time decision" has on his teammates.

While coach Tom Thibodeau is as good as any at preparing his team for game day, the constant uncertainty surrounding the catalyst for the Bulls' offense has to be taxing on the players around him. This was explicitly evident in Rose's first and only game back, a 100-99 overtime loss in which Chicago seemed out of sync for all of the first quarter; so much so that the Bulls were outscored 31-19 by Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks.

In the fourth quarter, those struggles returned and it got ugly. The Bulls scored just 16 points, including a pair of missed free throws by Rose that would have put the game out of reach. 

The team that had gone 14-7 in Derrick Rose's absence suddenly looked weak. Rather than blaming Rose, which would be the wrong angle, let's take a look at the true factors.

In going 14-7, the Bulls constantly made the extra pass and set teammates up for easy looks. Against the Knicks, the Bulls suddenly fell into isolation offense. Such was evident as Derrick Rose constantly drove the lane but had too little strength under him to make his usual lay-ins.

Two nights later, in Rose's absence, the Chicago Bulls pulled out a victory against those very Knicks. They moved the ball better, topping their dismal 14 assists with Rose in the lineup by piling up 27 without him. Furthermore, their field-goal percentage increased by four points.

This is not to imply that the Bulls are a better team without Rose, because they're not. Instead, this is an evaluation of a team who has suffered from a rollercoaster ride in which certainty is the only emotion they've yet to feel. In order to solve this issue, the Chicago Bulls must make a decision: put Derrick Rose on a timetable or simply shelve him until the postseason.

In doing so, the Chicago Bulls will be able to get back to the team chemistry that they'd displayed for two years running. They'll be able to better acquaint themselves with each other's tendencies, something necessary with Richard Hamilton missing 38 games. They'll also be able to play without doubt.

Most importantly, the Bulls will be able to truly rest Derrick Rose without any pressure to return before he's ready. The next week might be the perfect time, as they face Detroit, Washington and Charlotte before a rematch with the Heat on the 19th.