Derrick Rose could miss first week of the season

It’s whenever I can go out there and play. “My eye’s getting better every day”. As the Chicago Bulls celebrate their 50th season, Sam Smith of Bulls.com looks back on that inaugural squad … Rose said he’s “numb” to criticism and reiterated his main focus.

No. 3: George thinks Pacers can be defensive demons again – From 2012-14, no team had a better defensive rating in the National Basketball Association than the Indiana Pacers, who led the league in that category for a two-season stretch. This is my eighth year in the league.

Rose said it was a blow from Taj Gibson that did the damage.

It’s been a long, winding road for Rose and his legion of fanatics, and that ride hasn’t slowed down this season so far; Rose’s seventh season with the Bulls.

Rose told reporters that he is no longer feeling any pain around his eye from the injury and that once the swelling comes down, any double vision issues likely will stop. Originally, he was supposed to only stay out for two weeks, but it was confirmed that there will be a delay to his return.

Rose did not offer a timetable for his return, but sounded optimistic about his prognosis. Rose has a mask to protect his face after getting elbowed in practice and if he is out to start the season, Aaron Brooks or Kirk Hinrich could start alongside Jimmy Butler. Still no contact as of now for the former MVP.

Either way, the setback is a minor one after the three knee surgeries Rose has endured.

Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg said he was encouraged by the amount of work Derrick Rose (eye) was able to do during Thursday’s practice. But, he still feels he can play “pretty good”. “I hate getting my face touched, so if it’s a thing where I come out and I’m hot and I’m feeling it and we’re playing good, you might see it for the rest of my career. I played with Reggie Miller when he did it, and he was really conscious of, ‘If I get hit again, is something going to happen?’ But he’s got to have the confidence that the doctors, once they clear him 100 percent and that bone’s healed, that he’s able to go full speed”. I’m anxious to play.

“Everybody knows why I’m here”, he said. His offense has disappeared to the extent that teams outright refuse to guard him, unsurprising given he has been caught passing out of easy layups on more than one occasion this preseason.

But, the biggest takeaway was made (as usual) by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. So that’s the only thing I can worry about right now.

His negative impact on the Bulls once-great defense could prove seriously problematic.

If not, expect the rollercoaster to make another drastic turn.