It’s been roughly one month since the Chicago Bulls were mercifully bounced in the second round in five games by the Miami Heat. Mercy for a MASH unit that put together a short (but spirited) playoff run. And mercy for an organization that experienced constant bitching from the Armchair Doctors of America, who were more focused on Derrick Rose’s choice of donning $2000 suits, rather than join his teammates in a Bulls uniform.
Thankfully, we’ve moved past “what ifs”, and can focus on the future — a future that starts with some good news (finally) out of Bulls camp. From ESPN Chicago’s Jon Greenberg:
“I worked him out about a week ago,” Thibodeau said in a phone conversation Thursday. “It was great.”
“Watching the way he’s moving now, there’s a confidence,” Thibodeau said. “[Reporters] may not have been able to see the total work he was putting in. But he was putting in an enormous amount of work each and every day. He just never got to the explosiveness he was comfortable with. I think he’s there now. He feels great, and that’s the most important thing.”
Thibodeau also addressed some of the rumors that had been swirling since Rose was medically cleared to play in mid-February:
“He was practicing and he was good sometimes, but he also wasn’t able to make the kinds of plays he likes to make,” Thibodeau said. “No one is more explosive and can change direction like him. He had to be capable of doing that.
“The kid was being totally honest,” Thibodeau said. “At the end of the day, you have to respect that. He wanted to be out there very badly. But no one knew when he would be ready, including him. It was a smart decision to wait. If you’re not quite sure, and you’re going to err, err on the side of caution. That’s what he did. And now he feels great.”
For now, Thibodeau’s comments will ring hollow among Rose’s staunchest critics, but just like lockouts, as soon as Rose puts up a monster effort in a showcase game, the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately crowd will forget any of this ever happened.
