Thibodeau: Derrick Rose Can Still Be 'Great' This Season
(CBS) A day after Derrick Rose matched the worst shooting performance of his career in a 1-of-13 effort in a win against the Bucks, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday expressed a belief that his big-money point guard still can be "great" this season -- so long as he can find his rhythm.
"When he's able to practice and get that rhythm, then he's going to play well," Thibodeau said. "For any player … as a coach, you're not surprised when it's up and down if guys can't practice. The practice is important. Your walk-throughs are important. Your shootarounds are important. Everything is important.
"It'd be premature to put a lid on (his ceiling). Who says he can't come back and be great again? I think he can."
This year?
"Yeah -- he's already shown times when he's been great," Thibodeau continued. "You know it's in him. You got to keep grinding away. You're not going to be great every night. He can play well when he doesn't shoot well, and that's what makes him special, because of what he can do with the ball."
In the three games back since taking five days off during the All-Star break, Rose has struggled mightily, averaging just 10.7 points on 23.5 percent shooting to go along with 5.0 assists and 3.3 turnovers per game. For the season, he's averaging 18.4 points on 40.7 percent shooting, 28.7 percent from 3-point range.
On Tuesday, Rose "didn't do a lot" at practice because of general lower body soreness, Thibodeau said. He's still expected to play Wednesday against the Hornets.
Rose missed last Wednesday's practice because of travel complications, but other than that mishap and being limited Tuesday, Thibodeau said he's been a regular practice participant.
And in a theme of the season, that's Thibodeau's key to success for Rose and his team.
"This isn't the first comeback -- it was bumpy last year," Thibodeau said, referring to Rose playing 10 early season games before tearing his right medial meniscus in November 2013. "When you miss the amount of time he's missed, there's going to be some bumps in the road. I want him to have the mental toughness to get through it, just go on to the next game. You learn from each situation. He had a great rhythm going before the break. He'll get right back to it.
