The Bulls just finished a nine-game road trip and host the Celtics again Thursday. Rose’s status for that game is uncertain, and the injury appears more than minor.
“It hurts, it definitely hurts missing games like this,’’ Rose said. “[The Celtics] are someone we’re going to have to go through. We can’t go around them. It’s a big game, period, when you play against Boston. You know you are going to get their best.’’
Rose said he almost couldn’t walk before a recent game in New Orleans, although he managed to play 22 minutes.
“Just a pain, like when I first get out there, I’m kinda warm and it seems like when the game picks up, it just gets real tight and that’s when the pain kicks in,’’ he said. “If the pain wasn’t there and it was just stiffness, I’d be out there playing. But once the pain comes in, there’s nothing I can do.
“It hasn’t hurt me since high school, that’s what scared me about it. I don’t really know what’s going on, so tomorrow I will get some answers.’’
Rose was replaced by C.J. Watson, who scored 22 points with 6 assists and 2 rebounds. But he also attempted a game-high 23 shots and missed what he thought was a potential tying 3-pointer with 22.5 seconds left. Watson thought he’d taken a three, but replays showed his foot was on the line. Regardless, the Bulls couldn’t come all the way back after trailing, 86-72, with 5:08 left.
“C.J., he makes those shots, so I’m not going to second-guess that,’’ Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I want him to be aggressive and he was and if it’s there and if there’s not another option to it, I didn’t have a problem with that. We were down timeouts because we had to burn them to try to stem the tide for a while.’’
Bass out 10 days
Celtics coach Doc Rivers got word yesterday morning that the right knee soreness that has been bothering Brandon Bass flared up, and Bass will miss at least 10 days. That robs the Celtics of their best reserve scorer.
Bass missed the Feb. 5 win over the Grizzlies but returned to play in the next three games, averaging 10.3 points and five rebounds. He played 30 minutes Friday night against Toronto, showing no ill effects from the swollen knee.
