ROSE ON BENCH AGAIN AS TEAM FALLS TO PACERS
Drop to 2-3 at the UC as Rose misses game with hamstring issues
With their best player, Derrick Rose, among the spectators at the United Center, the Bulls had their hands full with the Indiana Pacers.
It was the fifth time in 10 games that Rose has been on the sidelines.
But Rose’s absence doesn’t explain what coach Tom Thibodeau called ‘‘low energy’’ in the Bulls’ 99-90 loss Saturday.
‘‘That’s disappointing,’’ Thibodeau said. ‘‘We were beaten in every aspect from start to finish.’’
With the defeat, the Bulls, who are 5-0 on the road, fell to 2-3 at home.
‘‘We have to figure out how to be better here,’’ Thibodeau said. ‘‘We have to have an edge about us at home.’’
Rose, who previously had struggled with ankle sprains, was sidelined this time by a problem with his left hamstring that sent him to the bench toward the end of the Bulls’ victory Thursday in Toronto. Kirk Hinrich (15 points, seven assists) again stepped in and performed well for Rose, who’s listed as day-to-day.
‘‘Look, he was out for 21⁄2 years,’’ said Thibodeau, mentioning Rose’s major knee problems. ‘‘You’re coming back in a physical game, playing a physical game. There’s going to be some times where he gets banged up a bit. It happens. But when you’re out that long, you’re not used to that. We’re just going to work our way through it. The thing I love about the team is that a lot of guys are ready to step in and get the job done. That’s the mentality we have to have.’’
As good as the Bulls have been at times without Rose, their margin for error is slight without him.
‘‘It would have meant a lot if we’d had Derrick tonight,’’ Taj Gibson said. ‘‘But things like that are going to happen. There’s going to be injuries, going to be bumps in the road. We just have to man up. The next man has to step up.’’
And Gibson doesn’t want Rose making his hamstring worse by trying to play through it.
‘‘Like I told Derrick, the hamstring injury is tough,’’ Gibson said. ‘‘You have to really monitor that. Those things are scary.’’
Nobody wanted it to happen this way, but other Bulls have been blossoming in Rose’s absence. That’s especially true because Thibodeau is trying not to lean too hard on Joakim Noah, who’s still getting his legs under him after offseason knee surgery.
Jimmy Butler, who has stepped up his offensive game big-time, again grabbed the Bulls by the horns. The Marquette product had a career-high 32 points on 10-for-17 shooting, and he was doing all the little things, too.
‘‘I could care less how much I score,’’ Butler said. ‘‘We didn’t win. That’s all that matters.’’
Pau Gasol, who also has been an anchor, had 12 points on 4-for-15 shooting. Noah (seven points, four rebounds, six assists) also struggled to provide a spark.
And starter Mike Dunleavy remained on the bench during the fourth quarter, part of Thibodeau’s effort ‘‘to try to get something going.’’
That said, the Bulls like the potential they have despite the setback against the Pacers.
‘‘We have a lot of talent,’’ Noah said. ‘‘The truth is, we don’t have it all figured out. The best part is that we’re still a work in progress, and we all know it.’’
The Pacers reminded the Bulls of that. The hard way.