Bulls fans know this scenario all too well and perhaps the most frightening thing about the injury was that there was no contact. He was assisted to the locker room and was not able to put any weight on the injured knee; which again is not a good sign. The Bulls PR released a statement that Rose “suffered a right knee injury” and nothing else. The injury was not to his surgically repaired left knee that caused him to miss all of last season.

Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago reported that Rose is scheduled for an MRI tomorrow in Los Angeles.

If you wish to look here’s the play where Rose injured his knee: https://vine.co/v/hFEubqqqlz9

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From Flickr via Shinya

Bulls Insider Sam Aggrey reported this afternoon that Jimmy Butler did not practice today and his status for the Bulls’ upcoming road trip is uncertain.

During last night’s game, Butler left during the third quarter but ended up returning a short time later in the fourth quarter.  After the game Butler mentioned to reporters that he was in some pain. Unfortunately he may have understated the amount of pain he was feeling as Butler was forced to sit out at practice today. Coach Tom Thibodeau informed the media that Butler would be getting an MRI this afternoon.

Thibodeau did not have an answer for who may replace Butler in the starting lineup if he misses Thursday’s game.  Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Kirk Hinrich would be the two leading candidates to be the next man up. Hinrich may have a slight edge on Thursday because Denver has been using smaller lineups this year featuring both Ty Lawson and Randy Foye.

This is not great news for the Bulls as Jimmy Butler has struggled at times this season to find a good flow offensively with the return of Derrick Rose.  Many were expecting a breakout season from Butler this season, but it just hasn’t quite clicked for him thus far and this injury certainly won’t help.

The post Butler Questionable for Road Trip appeared first on Bulls By The Horns.

There are six games left in the regular season and there are more unhealthy bodies than healthy ones.

Derrick Rose (left knee rehab) is still in the “out indefinitely” category. Rose says he’s still open to playing this season, but a return at this point feels very unlikely.

Rip Hamilton (back spasms) reportedly practiced yesterday with no setbacks, but Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said last week that Hamilton is “not real close” to returning.

Taj Gibson (sprained left knee) also practiced without any issues yesterday, but he remains out indefinitely. That Gibson didn’t tear his MCL may have been the best news the Bulls have had this season — it’s been that kind of year — but there’s been no indication when he’ll start playing again. I’ve heard everything from “not until the playoffs” to “could be this week.”

Thibs says that Luol Deng’s sore hip is “better,” although Deng will probably sit out tonight’s game against the Raptors. The Bulls seem intent on giving Deng — who leads the NBA in minutes per game (39.2) — some rest and relaxation before the playoffs.

Said Deng: ”I feel like I need it, especially because I think we learned a lot from last year. Fatigue toward the end of the year makes it easy to pick up injuries. We don’t want that with everyone coming back. We just want to be as healthy as we can.”

Marco Belinelli (abdominal strain) said he woke up with pain after playing in Detroit on Sunday and has acknowledged that he will simply have to play in pain until the offseason.

Then there’s Joakim Noah.

The plantar faciitis in Noah’s right foot hasn’t gotten any better, and it probably won’t until he has extended time off. In other words, after the Bulls’ season has ended. Even worse, Thibodeau says that Noah suffered “a little bit of a setback” when he played against the Pistons on Sunday.

Said Thibs: ”It’s a tough one. You never really know with that type of injury.”

And it’s not for a lack of trying to heal on Noah’s part. He’s done about everything short of consulting a witch doctor, and that includes getting an injection of platelet-rich plasma. Said Noah: ”I’m doing everything: Massage, sleep in a splint, ice … If you got any remedies you want to give me I’ll probably do it.”

Maybe Noah should ask Bill Walton about that special rock in the Philippines that breaks curses.

All the Bulls can do right now is rest the guys who are hurt and play the ones who can still walk straight and breath relatively normally.

Said Thibs: ”We don’t want anyone to play who is injured. At this time of the year, there are a lot of guys that are hurting that will play, but if a guy is injured we don’t want him out there. … Whoever we have, that’s who we’re going with. We have more than enough to win.”

I think we all saw that last part coming.

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Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said Derrick Rose took “the next step” in his return from knee surgery by taking more contact in practice on Tuesday.

Ever since Rose tore the ACL in his left knee during last season’s first round playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Bulls fans have been eagerly anticipating any news on when he might return. But this latest update has a “day after Thanksgiving for kids anticipating Christmas” feeling to it. It’s finally starting to seem real.

Said Thibs: ”He did a little bit more. He’s taking on some contact. He’s doing fine. He’s been cleared for more contact so we went to the next step today. You have to remember in practice you’re trying to get it as close to a game-like condition as you can with the understanding that there’s nothing like a game. There’s nothing that matches that intensity. We strive to get it there, but it’s different. We have to make sure he can handle this intensity first and then we’ll go from there, but he’s doing great. He’s shown great patience, and everybody has to show great patience.”

So Rose has taken the next step. That said, the team still doesn’t want to rush Rose or establish unrealistic expectations. Rose will return when the time is right and his knee is 100 percent ready…and not a nanosecond before.

Said Thibs: ”It’s going to be a while. It’s the next step in the rehab. Everyone has to be patient. He’s doing fine, he’s playing more, he’s practicing more, so he’s doing well. We want him to concentrate on rehab, the team just continue to concentrate on improvement and our next opponent. Nothing’s changed.”

Added Rip Hamilton: ”We know it’s going to take time. We just kind of allow Derrick to (be) him. It was good to see him just out on the floor moving around getting a little contact and things like that. With us we just want him to take his time … We didn’t do a whole lot of contact with him personally, but it’s one of them things when he’s out there he doesn’t want you to back up off of him because he wants to challenge himself.”

And Bulls fans want to see him challenge the opposition. It’s getting closer.

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