Derrick Rose. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Reporting Sam Zuba
By Sam Zuba-
(CBS) The crowd of fans waiting for the start of Wednesday’s potential Eastern Conference Finals preview was dealt a devastating blow when news crossed that Derrick Rose would not play.
The reigning MVP sat with a strained groin suffered in Monday’s win over the Knicks.
“It’s tough for him to miss any game,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He just has to do his rehab and he’ll be ready to go.
“It’s a strain. It’s probably a compilation of things over time.”
Rose missed his 11th game this season, after missing only six through his first three seasons.
Still, Thibodeau isn’t worried about his point guard’s absence.
“We have quality depth,” he said. “Our bench has been a great strength for us. We’ve had a number of guys in our rotation go from bench guys to starters. The end-of-the-bench guys have done a great job as well.
“I think you want to put as many things in your favor as you can, just go step by step and strive for improvement in each game. Again, you want to be playing your best basketball at the end of the season and be as healthy as possible.”
