The Chicago Bulls are opening up the NBA season on Tuesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the team is hoping that Derrick Rose will play in the game. Rose is dealing with a facial injury and he may not be ready to start alongside Pau Gasol, Jimmy Butler and Nikola Mirotic for Fred Hoiberg.
The Bulls and Cavaliers will play on Tuesday to open the season and the Bulls will host the game at the United Center in Chicago. The game has TV coverage from TNT and will be the first major matchup of the season on the schedule. The Bulls are expecting to have point guard Derrick Rose in the game and it comes after the point guard suffered an orbital fracture in training camp last month.
According to CSN Chicago, Fred Hoiberg said that Rose will play in the season opener and that came after questions about whether Rose would be ready or not to play. Hoiberg said that doesn't know how many minutes that Rose will play or if he will have a number restriction, but that he will be playing on Tuesday and the team could be a "little more careful" with him against the Cavs. Rose has dealt with serious injuries over the past few years and he comes in after playing in 51 games last season for Chicago. Rose has been working his way back to the court and as early as last week he was still dealing with some eye swelling and double vision.
Hoiberg is bringing in a new offense after taking over for Tom Thibodeau and Rose has been working on studying the scheme and watching film while rehabbing from his injury. Rose said to KC Johnson of the Chicago Tribune that he is ready to play and that his eye is "improving every day" as he recovers from getting hit with an elbow in practice. Rose said that he "loves" the new offense from Hoiberg and that he is "prepared for Tuesday."
The Bulls are going to have a new look against the Cavaliers, as Hoiberg is reportedly going to start Nikola Mirotic over Joakim Noah to open the season. Noah said that he has no issues coming off of the bench and Hoiberg said that he thinks the team can be at their best with this starting lineup. Noah is coming into a contract year and dealt with injuries last season, but he is healthy now and said that he wants to help the team win any way that he can and that he will not change his preparation as a player.
Check here for more on the Bulls, Rose and the season schedule.
