3 Things Chicago Bulls Must Do Without Derrick Rose to Win a Championship

After the injury to Derrick Rose, it seems as though all hope is lost for this season. However, the Bulls managed to go 18-9 this season when Rose was out of the lineup, which is equivalent to 55 wins in a typical NBA season. That is enough to be a title contender. 

Even though they have lost their star, their season is far from over. They should be able to beat Philadelphia without Rose, and then we'll have to see what happens. They were able to beat Boston AND Miami without Derrick Rose, but we'll see if they can do it in the playoffs. 

If they want to be title contenders again, then they need to do these things. 

Increase the Bench Mob's Minutes

Heading into the playoffs, we already were worried that Tom Thibodeau would cut the minutes of the Bench Mob in favor of playing the starters heavy minutes. However with the injury to Derrick Rose, it's time to unleash the mob. 

C.J Watson and John Lucas III have done exceptionally well stepping up in the absence of Derrick Rose this season. At times this season, they have taken on the overall scoring load and have taken turns carrying the team. 

Also off the bench, Taj Gibson, Ronnie Brewer and Omer Asik can destroy teams defensively even better than the Bulls starters at times. Along with Kyle Korver, they create a deadly lineup that can shut teams down. 

If the Bench Mob gets more minutes, it also allows the starters to be well-rested and allows them to finish. 

Let Rip Hamilton Create

Rip Hamilton has had a relatively pathetic season by his lofty standards, missing 38 out of a possible 66 games this year. He also flat-out did not put up the same numbers that he has is the past and did not appear to help the Bulls very much at all during the regular season. 

Yesterday in the first playoff game against Philadelphia, Hamilton killed it, scoring 19 points on seven shot attempts. He also had four assists and only played 26 minutes. 

Now let's be clear; no one is saying that Rip is Derrick Rose because he really and truly is not. However, the Bulls should try running their offense a bit more through Richard Hamilton at times because he is a guy who can create for others. I did not realize how effective of a passer he was before he joined the Bulls, but he thrives at creating for others. 

As well, he is a solid player at creating his own shot. With the rise of Rip in his first playoff game, we should give Rip a chance to play his game. 

Out-Rebound Teams

Perhaps the biggest advantage that the Chicago Bulls have over teams is rebounding the ball. This season, they were tops in the league at it due to their tenacious front-court and their smart guards. This is an advantage that shouldn't be diminished too much by the loss of Rose. 

One of Miami's greatest weaknesses is the fact that it can't rebound the basketball at a high level due to their lack of size. The Bulls need to destroy the Heat on the boards if they plan on beating them. The same is true if they play Boston in the second round. 

There are really very few teams that can rebound the ball like Chicago, especially on the offensive boards. If Chicago can kill teams on the boards, it can beat teams.