Derrick Rose Ruled Out vs. Lakers Because of Ankle Injury

The Minnesota Timberwolves announced guard Derrick Rose will not play Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers because of a sprained right ankle.

The 30-year-old Rose has shown flashes of his 2010-11 MVP form this season with 18.9 points on 48.6 percent shooting and 4.8 assists per game.

After winning the MVP Award amid leading the 62-20 Chicago Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals, a variety of injuries robbed him of his sky-high potential, including a torn ACL and two torn menisci.

He bounced from Chicago to New York to Cleveland in 2016 and 2017 before landing in Minnesota in March 2018 under his old Bulls head coach, Tom Thibodeau.

Rose signed a one-year, $2.4 million deal in July and proved he was one of the best bargains in the league. He injected life into a franchise that was in turmoil after Jimmy Butler's trade request and an infamous practice.

This latest injury marks a setback during a remarkable resurgence. Rose has shown he's capable of exploding offensively any night, like when he dropped 50 against the Utah Jazz on Halloween.

Without Rose in the lineup, Tyus Jones should get more playing time. Through 38 games, the 22-year-old has averaged 5.3 points and 3.8 assists. The ex-Duke Blue Devil is an asset on the defensive end, as ESPN.com ranks him seventh among qualified point guards in defensive real plus-minus.

Still, the 18-21 Wolves will be hard-pressed to replicate Rose's offensive production. And if he misses an extended period of time, Minnesota may struggle to stay relevant in the playoff race.